November 2024

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Assessment To Increase, Pending CalRecycle Approval

Pending CalRecycle approval, the California Carpet Assessment will increase on February 1, 2025.

If approved by CalRecycle, the new assessment amounts will be:

The most recent assessment request was submitted to CalRecycle on November 8^th. CalRecycle will review CARE's Differential Assessments Plan Amendment for compliance with statutory, regulatory, and Plan requirements. 



Public comments may be submitted here via email; deadline is Friday, November 22, 2024.

CalRecycle’s director has 60 days to approve, conditionally approve, or disapprove CARE’s plan amendment (by January 7, 2025.)

Why the Assessment Increase?

CARE Executive Director Bob Peoples adds some background to the need for an assessment increase:

CARE has been asked why the assessment continues to climb. Here is a high-level summary of the factors driving the increase.

1. CalRecycle put a new demand that we build to a 6-month reserve balance by the end of 2025. That is a huge 1-year lift requiring us to add approximately $13M dollars in 2025.
2. Program growth and success means higher costs.
3. A new union earmark of up to 8% of revenue annually is going to be a new liability of up to $4M per year! That equates to about 8 cents per square yard based on current sales.
4. Sales continue to decline. Thus, the base over which to spread the increased costs keeps shrinking.
5. Inflation has contributed but is expected to have a smaller impact in 2025.

The new law going into effect in January will add additional costs down the road. We are working to try and understand these new requirements.

Our annual report contains all the details of how assessment funds are spent. Here is the 2023 high-level breakdown (see page 77 of the California Program's 2023 Annual Report): 

• 78% of total expenses were paid directly to recyclers as subsidies.
• 13% of total expenses were used to provide statutory (that is mandatory) services such as education & outreach, grants, public drop off sites.
• 9% of total expenses paid for program administration including: CalRecycle fees, staff salaries, contractor services, accounting and legal.

CARE is audited every year by an independent audit firm and periodically by CalRecycle. We have received clean, unmodified audit results for many years – the best rating an organization can achieve.

I'm proud of the accomplishments by the carpet recyclers under this program. I'm proud of the hard, dedicated work of our team in advancing the program. We continue to make progress every year and strive to meet all statutory and regulatory requirements demanded by the state. Everything we do is in pursuit of those statute objectives. I am completely open to ideas for how we can continue to improve, and CARE is available to you or anyone else to answer any questions. Contact us at CA@CarpetRecovery.org.

California Program Reaches Agreement with CalRecycle

After lengthy negotiations, the fines associated with accusations of the California Carpet Stewardship Program for the years 2019-2022 have been finalized with CalRecycle. A payment of $1.7 million will be collected by CARE via an assessment of the Program’s participating carpet mills and submitted to CalRecycle no later than December 2, 2024. The agreed amount is reduced from the original penalty amount of $2.76 million.

Innovation & Design Grant Cycle Now Open

Pictured: West Virginia University (WVU) received a Cycle 1 Innovation and Design grant to study the inclusion of PC4 in fiber-reinforced plastic composites. Work began in the WVU lab and will conclude by studying the method at commercial scale.

CARE's California Carpet Stewardship Program has opened its third cycle of Innovation and Design Grants, with proposals due by March 31, 2025. The purpose of the Innovation and Design Grant Program is to provide funding for testing and development activities that create:

1. A more recyclable and environmentally sustainable carpet design, and/or
2. Post-consumer carpet (PCC) products that are more reusable, recyclable and/or have a decreased environmental footprint, and/or
3. A more effective circular economy for PCC throughout its supply chain.

The goal is to improve and enhance California-sourced PCC recycling and support California’s focus on building a circular economy.  

The cycle is open to U.S.-based entities, and partnerships between industry and NGOs or universities are encouraged. CARE will grant awards up to $100,000. The full solicitation can be found here. Applicants are encouraged to note the list of eligible projects, which focus on barriers and priority opportunities identified by CARE.

Contact Abbie Beane, CARE grants manager, at ABeane@CarpetRecovery.org for more information.

Testing Grants Refine ID Technology

Identifying the type of fiber in a carpet is one of the first and most critical steps in carpet recycling. Traditionally, collector/sorters and recyclers used hand-held devices for identification, however, the manufacturer stopped producing these devices in 2022. Since then, CARE has been seeking and supporting new fiber identification technology that is equally or more effective and cost efficient. A recent case study covers two testing grants that addressed this issue:

• BASF’s TrinamiX was identified as the best choice among several devices during CARE’s first attempt at seeking a microPhazir replacement. A 2022 CARE micro grant funded GreenWaste MRF to purchase two of the devices to test in the field and report data back to CARE.
• The following year CARE funded the company Electronic Fix under a product testing grant to explore new methods of repairing existing microPhazir devices until new technology can be perfected.

Read the full case study with results here.

New Resources Available

Online Search Tool Update Guide

CARE has published a Website Toolkit for Local Governments to help recycling coordinators update their online “what goes where” tools to include current and correct information on carpet recycling. Download the Guide here.

Revised Retailer Brochure and Drop-Off Site Booklet

CARE has published new versions of the retailer brochure and drop-off site map booklet. The retailer brochure is designed for retailers to distribute to customers to answer questions about carpet recycling and the California carpet assessment. See the retailer brochure order form here.

The drop-off site booklet lists the over 150 public drop-off sites with addresses and contact information, to help flooring contractors and other stakeholders find the most convenient place to take carpet to be recycled. Request copies of the map booklet by emailing CA@CarpetRecovery.org.

CARE Welcomes New Public Drop-off Site

CARE welcomes one new public drop-off site this month:

• Fairmead Landfill, Chowchilla, Madera County

There are currently 158 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. 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 some 196 private collection sites around the state.

Reminder: CARE Conference Coming to California

CARE’s 23^rd Annual Conference will take place May 20-21, 2025 at the Sea Bird Resort in Oceanside, California. The Conference theme is “Carpet Recycling: Riding the Sustainability Wave.” Please mark your calendars! More information and registration will be available in late January.

CARE is proud to welcome BTR Flooring & Recycling as the 2025 Conference's Premier Sponsor.

Sponsors are critical to the Conference's success and receive valuable benefits. We invite you to consider sponsoring the Conference. See details here.

CARE Offers Free Commercial Carpet Takeback Program for Large Jobs

The California Carpet Stewardship Program is working to increase the amount of commercial carpet that is reused and recycled. Diverting this material saves landfill space and resources. Commercial broadloom or carpet tile jobs of more than 5,000 square yards may be eligible for our free takeback program.  Please complete the Project Takeback form to request a takeback. 

Contact CARE Product and Market Development Manager Rob Thiess with questions.

CarpetRecovery.org/CA