Industry-Wide Takeback Program for Carpet

One of the most dramatic transformations in the world of building products appears to be under way in the carpet industry. On January 18, the Midwestern Workgroup on Carpet Recycling announced that all stakeholders have agreed on a national carpet takeback program. Under this plan, manufacturers would retain responsibility for their products after they are sold. It’s hard to overstate the significance of this plan, the first comprehensive product stewardship agreement in the United States. The plan was developed cooperatively by all major stakeholders—government agencies, environmental interests, and industry. What started as a regional effort involving a handful of groups from three Midwestern states, a couple of carpet manufacturers, and the EPA Office of Solid Waste has blossomed into a nationwide consortium for carpet recycling with buy-in (currently) from 16 states, numerous nonprofit organizations, and nearly every major U.S. carpet industry player, according to Gary Hickle of the Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance.

The carpet recycling efforts of several large manufacturer-distributors have been news for quite some time (see