California Achieves Record Carpet Recycling Rate in 2024

The California Carpet Stewardship Program’s 2024 Annual Report to CalRecycle revealed an all-time high annual recycling rate of 38.5% that exceeds the 34% goal for 2024 and shows nonstop continued year-over-year growth. This historically high recycling rate was supported by grants, an active and growing collection network, a record number of pounds of carpet reused, and ongoing development of markets for recycled carpet material.

“We are very proud of the progress this program has made in diverting carpet from landfill and recycling it into new products,” said Bob Peoples, Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) executive director.

Recyclers collected more than 1.3 billion pounds of old carpet in California since the program started. This year, CARE said it is well ahead of its recycling rate goal, despite the toughest market conditions.

Last year, 82.7 million pounds of carpet were collected in California, of which 90.5% were recycled. Some 2.9 million pounds of used carpet were sent for reuse, a 249% increase since 2021. In 2024, 390 collection points for carpet were available in California, of which 159 were CARE public drop-off sites.

Additionally, last year, 30 vendors incorporated recycled carpet material in 113 products. Manufacturers take recycled output processed from the carpet fiber or backing and incorporate it into new or existing products, including broadloom carpet and carpet tile, carpet cushion/underlayment, building insulation, acoustic insulation, water heater blankets, bedding, pellets, plastic automotive components, packaging insulation, erosion control products, lightweight aggregate, absorbency products, and various cement-related products. 

In 2024, the CARE California Carpet Stewardship Program managed 15 grants totaling US$881,000 awarded to 14 entities. Important advances were made in expanding convenient collection across the state, as well as tackling fiber identification and difficult-to-recycle post-consumer carpet (PCC) components. More than 680 jobs, direct and indirect, support the growing California carpet recycling industry.