The California Carpet Stewardship Program has completed its most comprehensive analysis yet of why post-consumer carpets end up in landfills rather than being recycled, providing new insights that could help boost the state's carpet circularity efforts.

During November 2024, the program conducted detailed waste characterization studies at California's four largest carpet processing and collection facilities. Commissioned by CARE (Carpet America Recovery Effort), MSW Consultants examined representative samples of carpet materials destined for landfills over one- to two-week periods at each location.

The study revealed significant variations between facilities based on their operational practices and available end markets, but common disposal patterns emerged. The materials most frequently sent to landfills by total weight were:

• Wool and jute carpets (25%) - the largest category of discarded materials
• Unacceptable backing types (12%) - materials that don't fit current recycling processes
• Carpet with excessive adhesive or glue (4.9%) - contamination that prevents processing
• Materials disposed for undetermined reasons (5%) - indicating potential process improvements
• Mixed fiber faces (0.1%) - complex compositions that complicate recycling

Residential carpet represented the largest portion of discarded materials, followed by carpet tile and commercial broadloom. Each sample was meticulously sorted and weighed, while facility interviews provided context for disposal decisions and material classification methods.

The findings offer the first detailed, data-driven baseline for understanding California's post-consumer carpet waste stream. While representing only a snapshot of current material flows, the study identifies specific barriers to recycling that the industry can now address through improved processing techniques, design modifications, or market development.

CARE plans to conduct similar characterization studies annually through 2027 under the current Carpet Stewardship Plan, allowing the program to track progress in material recovery rates and design for recyclability improvements over time.

The research comes as California continues to lead national efforts in extended producer responsibility programs, requiring carpet manufacturers to take greater responsibility for their products' end-of-life management and environmental impact.