CALIFORNIA'S CARPET STEWARDSHIP ACT (AB 2398 AND AB 1158)

California is the only state that currently operates with carpet reclamation legislation. AB 2398 was established in 2010 as the first carpet stewardship law. The law provided financial incentives to help keep carpets out of the landfill, primarily by supporting the carpet collectors, sorter entrepreneurs, processors, and secondary product manufacturers. The idea was that by supporting these secondary industries, post-consumer carpet waste could be kept out of the California landfills.

As of January of 2018, California will have another statewide carpet stewardship program to improve compliance. The program is private-sector designed and managed, and its goal is to help drastically reduce discarded carpet waste in California by diverting postconsumer carpet waste into recycling and reuse opportunities. To date, carpet is in the top 10 most commonly discarded materials found in California landfills. In 2008, it was estimated that carpet alone was about 3.2 percent of waste by volume in the state. Previously enacted carpet recycling programs in California have failed to achieve compliance, and so AB 1158 aims to provide a clear, achievable target rate of recycling 24 percent of postconsumer carpet by 2020.¹⁶

One of the main problems with carpet is that it is heavy and bulky—and so at the end of its life, it can be very difficult and expensive to manage as a waste product. However, given that most synthetic carpet is made from nylon and other polymers (all oil-based), it easily can be recycled into new products, both for the carpet industry and for other purposes. For example, the material can be used as carpet backing and components, new carpet fiber, or carpet underlay. It also can be used for other purpose such as plastic and engineered materials, outdoor decking, and erosion-control products. In short, a good stewardship program benefits the state both economically and environmentally.

The law aims to help through three waste management practices:

1. Source reduction
2. Recycling and composting
3. Environmentally safe transportation and land disposal

The program works in a manner that helps manufacturers design their own stewardship program, either on their own as a company or through a stewardship organization. Through the program, manufacturers will define their own goals, prepare and implement a plan to reach those goals, and report on their progress. The state recycling program, CalRecycle, will oversee and enforce the program to help maintain consistent practice throughout the industry.

In addition to clearly defining a program that complies with the state law and helps various stakeholders and the public understand the necessary course of action, the stewardship program will help set realistic goals on how the recycling rate will be achieved. AB 1158 also will protect consumer fee revenue to make sure the point-of-sale fee paid by consumers goes only to post-consumer recycling. In addition, AB 1158 formalizes an advisory committee, supports training for carpet installers, incentivizes recyclable carpets, improves transparency, and allows for flexibility in compliance and enforcement.¹⁶

PHYSICAL MATERIALS AND PROPERTIES OF AREA RUGS

Area rugs are an easy way for consumers to make more sustainable choices for both residential and commercial settings. Rugs made from natural materials such as wool, organic cotton, jute, or sisal, for example, are all recyclable and often biodegradable, so they don’t need to end up in a landfill. Moreover, natural materials will not off-gas volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as petroleum-based synthetic fibers do. These VOCs can include chemicals known to cause both short- and long-term negative health impacts, and can impact the indoor air quality of a building.

Material selection, durability, and end-of-life analysis all play a major part in specifying sustainable products.

Consumers can use a product’s EPD and HPD information to help them make informed choices about their selection. For example, even rugs made of natural fibers may have some hidden VOCs, often as a product treatment or carpet backing. Backing materials such as plastic, synthetic latex, or foam rubber all will off-gas, while natural latex will not.

In terms of sustainability, however, consumers also may want to consider other factors, such as where a rug was manufactured and what additional environmental costs went into importing it. An area rug made in India and purchased in the United States, for example, requires transportation costs (and associated environmental impacts). A locally made rug, or even a second-hand rug, will be more environmentally sustainable.

Another thing consumers need to consider is the anticipated lifespan of the product. If, for example, the rug is going to be used in a high-traffic area, a natural fiber material may break down much more quickly than its synthetic counterpart. The tradeoff of buying a synthetic version in order to accommodate durability and longevity may in fact be a more sustainable solution than buying something natural.

Like most things in terms of sustainability, choices come down to tradeoffs. The key is that with EPDs and HPDs—and even LCAs—consumers now can be more informed in the decision-making process.