| Responding to the problems associated with the | | | | Since carpet sellers and installers tend to pass |
| disposal of used carpet, the carpet industry has | | | | cost increases for disposal the consumer feels a |
| teamed up with government agencies and other | | | | bigger pinch. There is no telling how much used |
| concerned groups to establish a program that | | | | carpet is disposed of in ways that are less than |
| encourages the recycling of used carpet materials. | | | | legal or less than friendly to the environment. |
| This partnership has implemented a national | | | | While some types of carpet fiber and backing |
| agreement that sets goals for increasing the | | | | materials is more recyclable than others, there is |
| amount of carpet that is recycles. One result of | | | | now a nationwide network of locations that |
| this cooperative effort has been the creation of | | | | provide recycling service. The result has been a |
| entire industry that is built around the collection | | | | steady decease in the amount of used carpet |
| and recycling of used carpet materials. | | | | materials that end up in the local landfill. On the |
| A new home, freshly decorated and that new | | | | other end of the carpet cycle, producers are |
| carpet looks great and feels nice under your feet. | | | | working to incorporate more recycled carpet fiber |
| Wall to wall carpet, also referred to as tufted | | | | into their products. |
| carpet, is still the most popular choice in floor | | | | It is important to note that the move toward |
| covering for home and commercial applications. In | | | | increased recycling has been driven by more than |
| fact, carpet accounts for over seventy percent | | | | just dollars and cents since many consumers are |
| of all flooring covering sales in the United States | | | | increasingly concerned about the environment. |
| and tufted or wall to wall carpet represents over | | | | Consumers have become more conscious of the |
| ninety percent of all the carpet sold. | | | | impact their buying choices have on the |
| Now let us look at those numbers another way. | | | | environment and many of us are adjusting their |
| According to the Carpet and Rug Institute, an | | | | spending habits as a result. |
| industry trade association, if you calculate all of | | | | There are things you can do as a consumer to |
| the carpet sold in the United States and convert it | | | | initiate a positive change. If you choose to use a |
| to the number of pounds sold you come up with | | | | carpet product for your home or business be |
| a staggering nine billion pounds. Now that is a lot | | | | sure to ask the seller and the installer if they |
| of carpet not mention the other materials needed | | | | participate in a carpet recycling program. Selecting |
| to install, clean and maintain all that new carpeting. | | | | a quality, long wearing carpet product that is |
| The business of carpet can have a tremendous | | | | appropriate for the location, will help reduce to the |
| impact on the environment. Have you ever | | | | need to replace your carpet. Since a greater |
| considered what happens to the carpet that is | | | | variety of carpet products are made from |
| replaced every year? Most of the over 4 billion | | | | recycled materials, select a carpet that has the |
| pounds of carpet that is replaced every year | | | | highest available amount of recycled content. |
| goes to the landfill. The costs associated with | | | | Remember that by properly cleaning and |
| properly disposing of all the used carpet can be | | | | maintaining your carpets you can extend the life |
| felt by consumers, carpet sellers and installers as | | | | of the product and make sure you or your |
| the cost of taking discarding carpet to local landfills | | | | carpet cleaning professional properly disposes of |
| continues to rise every year. | | | | any waste water and left over cleaning chemicals. |