New Public Drop-Off Sites Bring Total Over 100
|
|
As part of CARE’s efforts to increase carpet collection for recycling across the state, CARE is pleased to announce its latest public carpet recycling drop-off sites:
There are currently 101 CARE public drop-off sites in all 58 California counties. CARE supports drop-off sites by providing at no cost:
- A container for collection
- Third-party hauling to bring carpet material to recyclers
- Promotional materials for local government and the hosting facility
- Technical assistance from CARE staff
- Ready access to micro grants that support site set-up and collection equipment/infrastructure.
To find the CARE-sponsored drop-off site closest to you, visit the drop-off site map here. If there is a location, such as a supply house, landfill, transfer station or recycling facility that you feel would work well as a drop-off site for you and other flooring professionals near you, please email CARE with the facility's name and location. A CARE staff person will call you to discuss your volume, learn more about flooring professionals’ needs in your area and work toward finding a solution.
In addition to public drop-off sites, CARE works with the recyclers who operate more than 200 private network collection sites around the state.
|
|
CARE Welcomes Thomas Coates |
|
Thomas Coates joined CARE as the California Program Director in July 2022. Here he talks about his background and vision for the organization and carpet recycling in the state.
How has your past work experience prepared you for the CARE CA Program Director job?
As a native of southern California, I understand the state’s eco-consciousness when it comes to avoiding waste and disposal. As a leader in local government, I have worked with businesses, community leaders and our partners at CalRecycle to implement sustainability programs that meet the State’s recycling mandates while benefiting all vested parties. As an entrepreneur, I have worked to find market-based solutions through balanced risk taking and innovate application of available technologies. As a manager, I have experience leading diverse and multi-disciplinary groups to be task-oriented and collaborative. I have found that using the collective knowledge of a team helps me to make the best decisions.
What are the larger trends in recycling, waste and sustainability that you think will impact CARE’s work moving forward?
As California’s momentum around recycling policies continues to grow, I think there will be a call for more post-consumer content in new material, so in turn we will need to capture more discarded carpet to meet the demand.
As climate concerns continue to dominate environmental discussions, I believe landfill operators will look to operations such as ours to aid in reducing material going into their system in order to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
Lastly, I would offer that with improvements in recycling equipment technologies, recyclers will be able to capture more carpet, which in turn could allow for an expansion in the number of products that could benefit from using reclaimed carpet fibers.
|
|
Howard Sapper Joins Sustainable Planning Committee
|
|
Howard Sapper, vice president of Carpet Manufacturers Warehouse in Commerce, CA, has been appointed to CARE’s Stewardship Planning Committee (SPC), which oversees the California Carpet Stewardship Program. He also serves on CalRecycle's Carpet Stewardship Program Advisory Committee.
Veteran retailer Sapper’s successful business was founded by his great-grandfather in 1918. Howard notes, “In 2010 I started hosting a post-consumer carpet collection trailer at my business. I understood that carpet at the end of its useful life could be recycled and have a second or third life. I also understood that I could provide a low-cost alternative to installers who were currently utilizing landfills to dump the carpet. In the twelve years since, I have followed the growth of the Program and added my voice while serving on Advisory Committee. I would like to thank the members of the SPC for the warm welcome I have received. I look forward to adding my voice as a California retailer to the SPC.”
|
|
Wes Nelson to Chair Advisory Committee
|
|
Wes Nelson, GreenWaste Carpet Recovery Sales and Marketing Manager and carpet recycling veteran, has been named the next Chair of the Carpet Stewardship Advisory Committee. The Committee, appointed by CalRecycle, provides recommendations to CARE as the stewardship organization and to CalRecycle on carpet stewardship plans, plan amendments and annual reports.
|
|
Program Highlights Sent to Retailers, Installers
|
|
Thousands of retailers and flooring contractors across the state received CARE’s California Carpet Recycling Highlights mailer in July. The mailer describes the Program’s advances in the past year, the importance of increasing carpet collection and how the carpet assessment supports recycling, along with details of how recycled carpet gets turned into new products.
|
|
Retailer Reminder: CalRecycle Checks for Compliance
|
|
CalRecycle provides enforcement oversight of California's carpet stewardship law. CalRecycle evaluates compliance through various means including, but not limited to, site inspections and documentation checks. Failure to comply with requirements of the carpet law and/or submitting false or misleading information may result in penalties of up to $10,000 per day. See details about the carpet stewardship law and monitor updates at CalRecycle.ca.gov/Carpet. Through the CARE retailer outreach program, CARE helps to make retailers aware of the requirements and be prepared for a visit.
As a reminder, CalRecycle requires:
-
All invoices must have the assessment clearly and correctly labeled as a separate line item. For current assessment information, visit the CARE website.
-
Retailers must purchase carpet from carpet manufacturers in compliance with the carpet stewardship law. See the list on the CalRecycle website here.
- Retailers are required by law to monitor CalRecycle’s website to determine if the sale of a manufacturer’s carpet is in compliance with the carpet stewardship law.
- Retailers must retain records for three fiscal years.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
