The Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) has announced the formation of the California Council on Carpet Recycling (Carpet Council), an 18-member advisory group, selected to provide guidance to CARE on California's carpet recycling efforts.

The Council represents diverse stakeholders from across the state and carpet recycling industry, including carpet retailers and installers, collectors, haulers and processors of recycled carpet; manufacturers of products made from recycled carpet; as well as non-governmental organizations (NGO's) and local government agencies.

"Carpet recycling, both in California and nationally, is a challenging and complex endeavor that needs the input and feedback from all parties that have a stake in this emerging industry,” said Robert Peoples, CARE's executive director. “CARE welcomes the talents, expertise and commitment to our goals that our Council members share and are very much looking forward to working with them.”

The principal tasks of the Carpet Council will be to ensure all aspects of the product chain are taken into account as CARE works to increase the amount of carpet diverted from landfill, improve waste prevention and reuse efforts, raise recycling rates and strengthen the economic viability of recycled carpet products, as required under the California Carpet Stewardship Plan (commonly referred to as AB 2398). In performing this work, the Carpet Council will maximize the collaboration with the existing infrastructure stakeholders, to make the California Carpet Stewardship Program as successful and effective as possible.

The first meeting of the California Council on Carpet Recycling will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 24 in Sacramento.

For more information, visit carpetrecovery.org/carpetcouncil.