Each year, Americans trash about two million tons of carpet, which takes up considerable space in landfills despite the fact that much of this material is recyclable. There, carpet can release hazardous materials into the environment that include flame retardants and perfluorinated compounds (PFAS).

How can we recycle more carpet and protect the environment? Extended producer responsibility. In 2002, the carpet industry voluntarily agreed to increase recycling; over two decades later, the national recycling rate for carpet is still less than 9%. But California, which enacted the first carpet EPR law in 2010, achieved an annual carpet recycling rate of almost 28% in 2021.

In 2014, PSI developed a legislative model for carpet EPR and the following year we released our report, Advancing Carpet Stewardship: A How-To Guide. In 2022, our model and expertise contributed to the passage of New York’s bill, which became the second carpet EPR law in the U.S. Within five years, the program is required to achieve a 30 percent recycling rate, higher than California’s current rate, which would decrease greenhouse gas emissions by 165,000 tons per year – equivalent to taking 32,000 cars off the road.

EPR programs like these incentivize the design of more sustainable products: For example, PSI's model legislation and New York’s bill include the phase-out of PFAS in carpet. They also help build supply chains for products made with recycled materials, which are the building blocks of an emerging circular economy that protects our environment and builds a better future.

What can you do? If your state has not yet enacted a law, tell your representatives that you support carpet EPR legislation. Then, learn where to recycle or safely dispose of carpet in your community.

If you’re a PSI Member or Partner, search our Resource Library for in-depth information on carpet stewardship in the United States and around the world and our Legislation Library for a history of carpet EPR bills and laws in the U.S.