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Carpet Strategy Project

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Carpet Supply Chain Businesses that are or would like to be active in the Pacific Northwest carpet recycling supply chain participate in speed networking (like speed dating) during a Carpet Strategy Project meeting in February 2011.

King County LinkUp and Seattle Public Utilities (external), coordinated a Carpet Recycling Workgroup (PDF, 245 K) to develop the Northwest Carpet Recycling Strategy, which was completed in 2010. The strategy is a set of actions to achieve the following project objectives:

1. Establish processing capacity for used carpet, and supporting activities, in the region.
2. Support the development of end-markets for carpet-derived material commodities.

Northwest Carpet Recycling Strategy

Currently under implementation, the Northwest Carpet Recycling Strategy (PDF, 84 K) is organized into seven actions:

1. Pursue product stewardship measures
2. Increase demand for carpet recycling.
3. Increase demand for carpet-derived commodities and products made with recovered carpet fiber.
4. Use solid waste or other public policies to influence costs and motivate flow of quality material to recycling.
5. Reduce asbestos contamination of used carpet.
6. Form a consortium to bring a carpet processing facility to the Northwest.
7. Network and collaborate with interested parties and potential participants.

Carpet Strategy Project Timeline

The Carpet Strategy Project timeline includes a series of development meetings and implementation activities. Visit the Carpet Strategy Partners page to learn more about the groups that have been involved.

2010 & 2011

Carpet Removal Best Practices: LinkUp facilitated a work group of local flooring industry representatives, carpet recyclers, air quality and worker safety regulatory agencies and others to develop the 2011 Carpet Removal Best Practices for Carpet Recycling (PDF, 206 K). When used, the best practices will help ensure that carpet removed from buildings is suitable for recycling. They will be promoted for use throughout Washington.

2011 Project Workplan: Read the 2011 Workplan Summary (PDF, 264 K) to learn more about efforts of the Northwest Carpet Recycling Strategy Project.

Carpet Processors and Key Recyclers Survey: A survey (PDF, 509 K) was conducted in May to learn the current status and likely future growth of the carpet recycling industry in the Pacific Northwest. Businesses currently or planning to participate in the carpet recycling supply chain were surveyed.

Carpet Processors and Key Recyclers Networking Meeting: In early 2011, King County LinkUp, Seattle Public Utilities, and the Washington State Department of Commerce hosted a networking meeting with carpet processors and key collection/recycling and reuse companies in the Pacific Northwest. The goal of the meeting was to facilitate development of a robust carpet recycling supply chain.

Carpet Stewardship Bill: In response to the introduction of Senate Bill 5110 Concerning Carpet Stewardship in the 2011 Washington State Legislative Session, several agencies involved in the Carpet Recycling Workgroup tracked the bill, provided input to improve bill language, and testified in its favor.

Northwest Carpet Recycling Strategy: The Carpet Recycling Workgroup finalized Strategy and began its implementation in March of 2010.

CARE Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): Carpet industry and government representatives are in negotiations on an MOU to increase carpet recycling that would replace the existing MOU and go into effect in 2012. Washington State Department of Ecology, Seattle Public Utilities and Snohomish County are participating in the negotiations. Learn more about CARE and the current MOU (external).

2009

Business Roundtables: The Carpet Recycling Workgroup sponsored two roundtable meetings/webinars to gather input from businesses on what should be addressed in the Northwest Carpet Recycling Strategy. The first roundtable focused on removal, collection and sorting of used carpet and the second on carpet processing and end markets.

Public Purchasing Meeting: Seattle Public Utilities, with support from LinkUp, hosted a meeting in October 2009 providing an opportunity for companies that manufacture products using carpet-derived materials to present their products to government procurement representatives.

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