The Basic Requirements for Carpet Recycling

Whether you are getting rid of the carpet in your house because you’re preparing for a home renovation, or you had the misfortune of a flood in your basement, it’s important to know how to dispose of it responsibly.

Tons of construction debris—including old carpet—piles up in landfills, which contributes to more greenhouse gas emissions and the pollution of the land, air, and water. So when you have carpet that needs to be removed from your house, it’s best to recycle it in order to be earth conscious.

Recycling old carpet is a huge positive for the earth because it can be made into so many things—from roof tiles to railroad ties to insulation to yarn. It takes less energy to create something from re-used materials than it does to create something brand new, so recycling helps to save energy. Unfortunately, millions of tons of carpet have already been put into landfills.

But with such a large item, it’s difficult to know where to take it and what will be accepted for recycling. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re trying to figure out what to do with that old rug.

Do Not Donate

Even though you might think a place like the Salvation Army or Goodwill would be a good place to drop off old carpet, there are just too many risks involved with donating. Removing pet stains or allergens is too costly and potentially poses a health risk to the person who would receive the donation.

The best solution is to find a company or facility that is willing to recycle it.

Recycle Your Carpet

Reach out to a nearby carpet manufacturer to see if they have a recycling program. Often these manufacturers will require that the carpet is in a certain condition or made of a certain material. Typically these local manufacturers will charge an average of 5–25 cents per pound. According to the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE), carpet typically weighs about 4-5 pounds per square yard.

Another possible option is your local recycling facility, but you will need to call ahead to ensure that they accept carpet.

You can also call on a professional hauling service. If your carpet is in the Long Island or New York City area, our experts at Jiffy Junk will not only take care of picking up and recycling it, they’ll also help you remove it from the floor and clean the area after they’re done.

Save the hassle and let us take care of it! Call for a no-pressure quote at (844) 543-3966 or click the Get Pricing button below.