California Carpet Differential Assessment to Increase on January 1

Differential assessments currently charged on all carpet sold in California are expected to increase on January 1, 2023, according to Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE). California law requires CARE, as the carpet stewardship organization for the state, to implement a differential assessment on each square yard of carpet sold that reflects its cost burden to recycle. The assessment increase has to be approved by CalRecycle in a process that will take some weeks, however carpet retailers in California should prepare now for the increase that will go into effect on January 1, 2023.

CARE’s differential assessment plan is based on two factors: 1) carpet material, as in broadloom vs. tile, and 2) percent of post-consumer content, as in greater than or equal to 10 percent post-consumer content, and less than 10 percent post-consumer content. The new assessment amounts will replace the current amounts that went into effect on April 1, 2022: