How to Recycle Your Old Carpet

Getting new carpeting or switching to hard flooring can be exciting, but dealing with the old carpet not so much. You want to dispose of it in a safe and environmentally responsible manner, but you don’t know how? Let us show you how to look for recycling opportunities in your community.

What is in a Carpet?

Carpets are made from many different materials including, natural materials such as cotton and wool, as well as plastic materials such as polyester. The carpet’s surface, called the pile, is made of individual threads pulled through a large solid backing to make the loops that you see on the surface. The backing holds it all together and is the part that is attached to the floor through either nails or glue.

Unfortunately, it can be hard to separate the pile from the backing making it hard to recycle them. Additionally, textiles, such as wool, are difficult to recycle into anything else. This means that few recycling programs are willing to accept them. But, there are a few ways, so let’s take a look at them.

How To Recycle Your Carpet

First of all, check with your local solid waste disposal provider. It is unlikely that any recycling program will be willing to pick up your old carpet curbside, but they may be able to tell you where to bring it. Some recycling centers are willing to take carpets as long as you transport them.

The best way to find a carpet recycler online is to search the Carpet America Recovery Effort website. This website helps to show people where to find carpet recyclers in their local communities. There are also a few flooring companies, such as Shaw Floors, that have carpet recycling programs, so check to see if any in your area will accept old carpets.

A final option is to see if the original manufacturer of your carpet has a recycling program. You may not know the original manufacturer; however, if you do, some manufacturers are willing to accept old products for recycling.

Recycle the Padding

Even if you can’t find a way to recycle your carpet, there may be a part of it you can recycle. Underneath carpeting, there is a layer of padding that gives it some extra cushion when you walk on it.

This layer of padding is typically made from a mixture of polyurethane foam cut up and mixed with a variety of materials to make the solid mat you walk on. The great part of this is that polyurethane foam is far easier to recycle. There is a far greater likelihood that your local recycling provider may take it if you bring it in. Just like with your carpeting, ask your local solid waste disposal provider, and they may be able to direct you where to take it.

Final Thoughts

A lot of material goes into carpeting, and it is definitely crucial to the environment for as much of this material as possible to be recycled. Though this has traditionally been a difficult task, a growing number of providers are finding ways to recycle these materials.

Contact Us

If you have old carpeting or anything else you need to be disposed of right, call AHB Services. We have the tools and experience to get the job done right, and we will recycle as much as possible. Call us at 781-941-2422 and connect with us on Facebook.