August 2025

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CARE Testing and Innovation & Design Grants Announced

The California Carpet Stewardship Program has funded three new grants for a total of $142,000 to advance innovative recycling and reuse of post-consumer carpet (PCC). Two of the projects, undertaken by Brightworks Sustainability and Tarkett in partnership with Georgia Tech, were awarded under Cycle 3 of CARE’s Innovation & Design grants. Brightworks will lead a Circularity Optimization Study, engaging stakeholders across the supply chain to inform a new “Design for Circularity” guide. Tarkett, in partnership with Georgia Tech and Mycocycle, will test a mycelium-based bioremediation process potentially capable of breaking down 100% of PCC, including traditionally non-recyclable components like backings and adhesives, to create feedstock for new carpet manufacturing.

The third grant, under Cycle 6B of CARE’s Product Testing program, was awarded to River AI Design Corp for developing and certifying architectural products made from recycled PCC using large-scale 3D printing. This Los Angeles–based project will transform California-sourced carpet into durable planters, acoustic panels, and outdoor furniture. (Photo: River AI Design uses 3D printing to incorporate PCC fibers into architectural products.)

These three projects exemplify CARE’s commitment to fostering practical, scalable solutions that increase carpet recycling rates, expand end-market demand, and keep valuable materials in circulation. For more details on these and other initiatives, as well as information on open grant solicitations, please visit the CARE grants page  or email Grants Manager Abbie Beane.

Grant Case Study Shows Breakthrough in Carpet Backing Reuse

CARE has published a case study of its recent Innovation & Design grant to West Virginia University (WVU),  which was awarded $100,000 to tackle one of the most underutilized PCC components — Post-Consumer Carpet Calcium Carbonate (PC4). WVU’s project proposed a novel way to recover and reuse this mineral filler in high-performance infrastructure materials, potentially transforming a burdensome waste stream into a valuable manufacturing resource. The project showed that when properly processed, recycled PC4 could substitute for virgin material without sacrificing composite integrity—supporting a circular economy in both the carpet and construction industries. CARE is looking for ways to take the next step and translate this work into a commercial application.



Read the case study on the CARE website.

PureCycle and Emerald Carpets Partner for Trade Show Carpet Circularity

Polypropylene recycler PureCycle has announced a partnership with Emerald Carpets, a leader in trade show carpets, that aims to transform the trade show carpet industry by creating closed-loop circularity in carpet production.

As part of the partnership, Emerald Carpets signed a commercial supply agreement with PureCycle for approximately 5 million pounds annually of PureFive™ resin. PureFive Choice™ resin will be blended into Emerald Carpets' existing fiber production, enabling them to immediately exceed the current policy-mandated recycled content requirement in California. PureCycle and Emerald Carpets qualified the resin for numerous applications and are currently testing additional applications to expand the portfolio offering.

The partnership involves PureCycle recycling used trade show carpets from Emerald Carpets, designed to transform the material into purified fiber-grade recycled polypropylene (rPP) pellets. Successful recycling of the materials would allow Emerald Carpets to then manufacture new carpets out of the rPP, creating a sustainable carpet-to-carpet solution. This should allow Emerald Carpets to meet California's carpet-to-carpet (closed loop) recycled content requirements that go into effect in 2028. CARE Executive Director Bob Peoples noted, “This is exactly the kind of advanced/chemical recycling that will help us solve the plastic waste problem and build a circular economy. We are very excited for this development.”

Read more.

Updated Carpet Recycling Brochure Available

CARE has published an updated brochure designed for retailers to distribute to customers. The brochure gives the basics of carpet recycling and explains the purpose and use of the carpet assessment. All retailers were mailed a copy of the brochure and invited to request more copies for their stores.



View the brochure and order more copies here.

CARE Welcomes New Public Drop-off Sites

CARE welcomes six new drop-off sites this month:

• Aquafil Carpet Collection, Chula Vista, San Diego County
• Family Floors, Huntington Beach, Orange County
• GreenWaste Stockton Resource Recovery Facility and Transfer Station, Stockton, San Joaquin County
• Seamless Flooring, San Diego, San Diego County
• Seamless Flooring, Moorpark, Ventura County
• Tri County Design (BJM), Petaluma, Sonoma County (reopened)

CARE supports more than 169 public drop off sites along with 4 semi-private sites as of August 8, 2025. 

In addition to public drop-off sites, CARE works with the recyclers who operate some 220 private collection sites around the state.

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. 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.

CARE on the Road

CARE was a sponsor and exhibitor at the 2025 California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) Conference this month in beautiful Monterey. We spread the word about carpet recycling’s successes in the state, with special attention to asking local government staff to help publicize to residents and businesses that carpet is recyclable.

Reminder for Retailers: Assessment Compliance

Retailers are required by law to charge the current carpet assessment to all customers in the state. CalRecycle periodically inspects retailers to check current practices. To ensure compliance:

• All invoices must have the assessment clearly and correctly labeled as a separate line item.
• Retailers must purchase carpet from carpet manufacturers in compliance with the carpet stewardship law. See the list on the CalRecycle website.
• Retailers are required by law to monitor CalRecycle’s website to determine if the sale of a manufacturer’s carpet is in compliance with the carpet stewardship law.
• Retailers must retain records for three years.

Please see the Differential Assessment page of the CARE website for details.

If you are aware of a retailer that is not in compliance, please let CARE know by completing the Assessment Compliance form here.

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