January 2023
Revised Five-Year Plan Submitted to CalRecycle
On January 17, CARE submitted a revised Five-Year Plan to CalRecycle. The revised Plan responds to CalRecycle’s disapproval of the Plan as submitted last September. “It is our hope that CalRecycle moves swiftly to accept the revised Plan so that we can continue the remarkable progress that we have been making,” noted CARE Executive Director Bob Peoples. “CARE is on track to meet all of the goals set by CalRecycle for 2022 despite enormous challenges, and we need to move swiftly to implement the 2023-27 Plan in order to achieve the goals for this year.”
 
Peoples added, “In particular, we need to implement the differential assessment increase, originally planned for January, which CalRecycle did not approve. We now are targeting an increase on April 1, 2023 and that decision will depend on CalRecycle’s approval of the revised Plan no later than mid-March. Watch for additional information on the increase shortly."

CalRecycle requests that public comments on CARE's Revised Plan be submitted to CalRecycle by January 27, 2023. CARE is asking all retailers, mills, and recyclers to please take a few minutes to submit comments of strong, unequivocal support for the Plan. 

View the Plan here and submit comments to CalRecycle at Carpet@CalRecycle.ca.gov.
New Public Drop-Off Sites Meet 2022 Goal
CARE has reached the convenient collection goals set for 2022 by CalRecycle with the addition of these recycling drop-off sites:

In addition, two sites have converted from "Recyclers servicing large retailers/installers" to public drop-off sites:
  • Eastern Impressions/Cristal Materials, Commerce, Los Angeles County
  • Eastern Impressions/Dimax Fiber Recovery, Santa Ana, Orange County

There are currently 131 CARE public drop-off sites servicing all 58 California counties.

CARE supports drop-off sites by providing at no cost:
  • A container for collection
  • Third-party hauling to transport carpet material to recyclers
  • Promotional materials for local government and the hosting facility
  • Technical assistance from CARE staff
  • Ready access to micro grants that support site set-up and collection equipment/infrastructure.
 
To find the CARE-sponsored drop-off site closest to you, visit the drop-off site map here. If there is a location, such as a supply house, landfill, transfer station or recycling facility that you feel would work well as a drop-off site for you and other flooring professionals near you, please email CARE with the facility's name, location and business phone number. A CARE staff person will call you to discuss your volume, learn more about flooring professionals’ needs in your area and work toward finding a solution.
 
In addition to public drop-off sites, CARE works with the recyclers who operate more than 200 private network collection sites around the state.
CARE Conference Registration Is Open!
Annual Conference logo
Registration is now open for CARE’s 21st Annual Conference on April 25-26 at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport Hotel. The Conference theme is “Carpet: Feedstock for the Future,” and sessions will cover topics such as advanced recycling, new technology and products and industry trends. Plan to join key members of the carpet recycling industry and related fields for this unique networking and learning opportunity.

Confirmed speakers for the 21st Annual Conference include Marketing Insights President Santo Torcivia with a U.S. economic update; Floor Focus publisher Kemp Harr presenting on the state of the flooring industry; and Adnan Zeb-Khan, Director of GlobeEC Consulting and Scheme Manager at Carpet Recycling UK. Special guest speaker Bianca Rhym, Electrical Engineer with NASA, will talk about her project for recycling in-space plastic waste using 3D printing. Dr. Matthew Realff of Georgia Tech and Joshua Bacca of the American Chemistry Council will discuss chemical recycling and life cycle impacts.
Collectors, processors, and manufacturers from around the country will discuss recent developments in recycling technology, the ID equipment challenge, Extended Producer Responsibility and new products and markets.

There will be ample time for networking along with the traditional CARE Recycler and Person of the Year awards announcements.
 
There is still time to become a sponsor or exhibitor; see more on our website.

Innovation & Design Grant Application Deadline is Feb. 28
A reminder that CARE has launched an Innovation and Design (I&D) Grant Program to improve and enhance California-sourced post-consumer carpet recycling. The program is accepting applications through February 28, 2023.  The I&D grants will provide funding for testing and development activities that create:
  • A more recyclable and environmentally sustainable carpet design and/or
  • Primary or secondary PCC-content products that are more reusable, recyclable and/or have a decreased environmental footprint.
 
CARE has allocated up to $200,000 total to award to projects in 2023. Individual projects may apply for $10,000 to $100,000 in Cycle I&D funds. Grantees must achieve project completion by June 30, 2024. Cycle I&D grant funding will depend on the availability of funds from the California Carpet Stewardship Program. Private businesses and non-profit organizations are eligible; colleges, universities and research institutions are encouraged to apply.
NY Governor Signs Carpet Stewardship Law
In December, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a carpet stewardship bill, making New York the second state after California to have such a law. Starting in January 2026, carpet sales in New York will be prohibited unless the manufacturers are participating in an approved industry-wide plan for recycling or have established their own program for carpet collection.