Carpet Recycling Efforts Help Reduce Waste

| Posted: 28-03-2008 | Comments: 0 | Views: 18 | Rating: (73)

(?)

Responding to the problems associated with the disposal of used carpet, the carpet industry has teamed up with government agencies and other concerned groups to establish a program that encourages the recycling of used carpet materials.

This partnership has implemented a national agreement that sets goals for increasing the amount of carpet that is recycles. One result of this cooperative effort has been the creation of entire industry that is built around the collection and recycling of used carpet materials.

A new home, freshly decorated and that new carpet looks great and feels nice under your feet. Wall to wall carpet, also referred to as tufted carpet, is still the most popular choice in floor covering for home and commercial applications. In fact, carpet accounts for over seventy percent of all flooring covering sales in the United States and tufted or wall to wall carpet represents over ninety percent of all the carpet sold.

Now let us look at those numbers another way. According to the Carpet and Rug Institute, an industry trade association, if you calculate all of the carpet sold in the United States and convert it to the number of pounds sold you come up with a staggering nine billion pounds. Now that is a lot of carpet not mention the other materials needed to install, clean and maintain all that new carpeting.

The business of carpet can have a tremendous impact on the environment. Have you ever considered what happens to the carpet that is replaced every year? Most of the over 4 billion pounds of carpet that is replaced every year goes to the landfill. The costs associated with properly disposing of all the used carpet can be felt by consumers, carpet sellers and installers as the cost of taking discarding carpet to local landfills continues to rise every year.

Since carpet sellers and installers tend to pass cost increases for disposal the consumer feels a bigger pinch. There is no telling how much used carpet is disposed of in ways that are less than legal or less than friendly to the environment.

While some types of carpet fiber and backing materials is more recyclable than others, there is now a nationwide network of locations that provide recycling service. The result has been a steady decease in the amount of used carpet materials that end up in the local landfill. On the other end of the carpet cycle, producers are working to incorporate more recycled carpet fiber into their products.

It is important to note that the move toward increased recycling has been driven by more than just dollars and cents since many consumers are increasingly concerned about the environment. Consumers have become more conscious of the impact their buying choices have on the environment and many of us are adjusting their spending habits as a result.

There are things you can do as a consumer to initiate a positive change. If you choose to use a carpet product for your home or business be sure to ask the seller and the installer if they participate in a carpet recycling program. Selecting a quality, long wearing carpet product that is appropriate for the location, will help reduce to the need to replace your carpet. Since a greater variety of carpet products are made from recycled materials, select a carpet that has the highest available amount of recycled content.

Remember that by properly cleaning and maintaining your carpets you can extend the life of the product and make sure you or your carpet cleaning professional properly disposes of any waste water and left over cleaning chemicals.

Rate this Article:

Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).

Article Tags: Carpet Recycling, Recycled Carpet

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/carpet-recycling-efforts-help-reduce-waste-372211.html

Print article

Send to friend

Publish this Article

Author feedback

About the Author:

Mitch Endick is a staff writer for the quality online store FineWebStores.com. Shop for Area Rugs and Bamboo Rugs for your home or office. Please visit FineWebStores.com today.

Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free!

Article Comments

Add new Comment

Got a Question? Ask.

Ask the community a question about this article:

Q&A Powered by:

Latest Environment Articles

Shedding Some Light on the Myths of Solar Energy
By: PXR5 | 25/07/2008
With this article I aim to shed some light on some of the common misconceptions regarding the use of solar roof panels as a viable means of residential energy production

Blowing Away the Myths of Wind Power
By: PXR5 | 25/07/2008
Recent environmental concerns have made way for the return of wind power, and in its wake came a host of myths, mistruths and misunderstandings. This article aims to dispel some of the common myths of wind power.

Proper Disposal Of Consumer Electronics Is Important
By: MIKE SELVON | 24/07/2008
Before purchasing a television, MP3 player or cordless phone, do you consider what you will do with it once it breaks down or no longer meets your needs?

Run Your Car on a Quart Of Water
By: Paul Fitzgerald | 24/07/2008
You can't have failed to notice the rising gas prices. Even if you haven't got a car you'll have had your ear chewed off by all the people you get rides from about how expensive it is to run a car.

A Haymaker From Shoemaker
By: Ernie Fitzpatrick | 24/07/2008
Who knows all? The Shadow do, but certainly our best scientists while right about many things, can get stuff wrong from time to time. And the results can be devastating.

Where Does Solar Energy Come From?
By: Koz Huseyin | 23/07/2008
Solar energy is making a big impact today. In the world we live, we have put major strain on natural resources. But, there is a renewable energy source, which is becoming a viable source to meet the needs of humanity, it is called solar energy. But, where does solar energy come from?

Read Magazines On Environment Education To Learn About The Environment
By: Victor Epand | 23/07/2008
If you are interested in saving the environment and need to know more about the environment, greenhouse effect etc. there are a number of environment education magazines that can help you learn more about this interesting field.

Young People to the Rescue!
By: Randy Bisenz | 23/07/2008
Young people: the world needs your help now.

More from Mitch Endick

Zero Gravity Recliners Have Health Benefits and Roots in Space
By: Mitch Endick | 20/06/2008 | Wellness
Introduced over a decade ago, zero gravity recliners offer a unique resting experience.

Can You Recycle Vinyl Flooring?
By: Mitch Endick | 28/03/2008 | Environment
The big push in the flooring business today is how to address the growing issue of recycling. Consumers are becoming more and more conscious of how their buying choices affect the environment both inside and outside their homes.

New Pet Beds Mean Sweet Doggie Dreams
By: Mitch Endick | 15/03/2008 | Pets
Without a doubt, Americans pamper their dogs and cats and the simple pet bed has been transformed into a warm, plush retreat. Now if your pets are anything like mine, they prefer your bed to anything else.

Pet People Can Pamper Their Pooches
By: Mitch Endick | 15/03/2008 | Pets
In record numbers, Americans have taken a variety of animals into their homes and hearts. According to various industry sources, over seventy million homes in the U.S. have some kind of pet.

Our Pets Are People Too
By: Mitch Endick | 11/03/2008 | Pets
Yes, pets are people too. At least they are at our house. We treat our pets just like members of the family and they respond with unconditional love, and the occasional chewed up slipper. Sharing our home with several cats and dogs gives us a chance to observe how their individual personalities.

Pet Travel Goes Fashionably Portable
By: Mitch Endick | 05/01/2008 | Pets
Our pets are pampered like never before. From gourmet food to medical insurance, we treat our pets like members of the family. Many of us like to share our personal tastes with our precious pets. Moreover, like members of the family we love to take them along on trips long and short.

Pet Treat Goodies Go Gourmet
By: Mitch Endick | 05/01/2008 | Pets
Like doting parents, we love to spoil our pets. My own menagerie of cats and dogs are coddled and cuddled in ways that amuses some friends, while others think of it as excess. The truth is, our furry friends love the attention and respond in kind. With good food, plenty of toys and regular veterinary care, our pets are happy, healthy and take up too much room in the bed.

Pet Playpens are Catching on
By: Mitch Endick | 05/01/2008 | Pets
Traveling with my two small dogs is always an adventure. On longer trips, an overnight stay at a hotel is usually part of the itinerary. Now finding pet friendly hotels is not usually a problem. What is a problem is that these two members of the family think they are at home.

Article Categories

Article Marketing

Article Notepad

Stop Duplicate Content

Term Papers

Need Help?

Sign up for our email newsletter

Receive updates, enter your email below

Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.13, 9)