Carpet Recycling (includes video)
For years wall to wall carpet has filled our landfills. More and more carpet recycling is now taking place and carpet is quickly becoming a green product. Shaw is an example of a manufacturer participating in carpet recycling. They have established a carpet collection network covering most major U.S. markets. The collected carpet is made with nylon 6 face fiber. An average of 80 percent of the post-consumer carpet Shaw collects is made with nylon 6 fiber. When reclaimed material has been manufactured with plastic and can’t be recycled into new carpet, it can also be diverted for reuse in carpet cushion, erosion and sediment control products and engineered resins that are used to produce injection molded plastic automobile parts. Another industry example is Mohawk. As part of there recycling program they recycle pop and water bottles into EverStrand carpets. With this product, all recycled content can be certified.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WIgs2_YfQs
Watch the above video and learn more about how the wall to wall carpet industry participated in carpet recycling process and how this program is helping to protect our environment.
I wish the information here was true. PET has come into the market in such high numbers most carpet recyclers have closed. The operation shown only processes a small amount in Indianapolis proper and it is mainly commercial. Shaws plant has closed as well.
Efforts are being made to get EPR — California has a visionary program but the rest of USA is NOT RECYCLING.. Less than 5% of all at best. Mills have put out an incentive program to buy off having to implement a program lie California…
While a number of recyclers may have closed, Shaw is still recycles carpet through its Evergreen Carpet Recycling Facility in Augusta, Georgia and has pickup points throughout the nation. Here is an article on carpet recycling in Recycling Today that you may wish to read.