California’s carpet recycling rate has increased for the fifth consecutive year, with the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) crediting financial incentives and grant programs as major drivers of the steady progress.
This achievement reflects compliance with the state’s Carpet Stewardship Law, enacted under Assembly Bills 2398, 1158, and 729. In September 2024, lawmakers passed AB 863, which introduced new requirements, including a 5% carpet-to-carpet recycled content mandate by 2028, mandatory sorting at approved collection sites by 2029, and changes to reimbursement and recycling formulas.
“Our efforts at growing collection, reuse, recycling, and innovations in market development have paid off,” said Bob Peoples, CARE Executive Director. “Since the program began, recyclers have collected more than 1.3 billion pounds of old carpet in California.”
Despite what Peoples called the toughest market conditions since 2008, he noted that 2025 recycling rates are already surpassing targets.
2024 Results at a Glance
- 82.7 million pounds of carpet collected, up from 78.9 million in 2023.
- Recycling efficiency rate reached 90.5%, up from 83.7%.
- Annual recycling rate hit a record 38.5%, surpassing the 2024 target of 34% and nearly doubling the 20.9% rate recorded in 2020.
Expanding Infrastructure and Jobs
CARE increased the number of drop-off sites to 159 statewide, adding 16 new locations in 2024. The program now serves all 59 counties, with at least one collection site for every 450,000 residents.
The effort has also generated economic benefits: more than 680 jobs now support California’s carpet recycling industry. In 2024, CARE awarded 15 grants totaling $881,000 to 14 organizations, boosting collection networks and advancing research into fiber identification and difficult-to-recycle carpet components.
Roadmap to 2027
CARE has outlined a 12-point strategy through 2027, including:
- A target of 45% recycling rate by 2027.
- Expanding collection rates to 60%.
- Sustaining an annual 75% recycling efficiency rate through 2026.
- Ensuring 90% of residents live within 15 miles of a carpet drop-off site by the end of 2027.
As California strengthens its recycling infrastructure, the state continues to position itself as a national leader in textile and flooring waste management, demonstrating how targeted policy, incentives, and industry cooperation can deliver sustainable results
