Cost Analysis for Carpet Recycling

The cost of recycling carpet is equivalent to the cost of dumping used carpet into a landfill, with greater positive environmental impact.

Consider these facts:

The average consumer may replace their household carpet once or several times during a 5 year time period. However, carpet retailers are constantly accumulating tons of old residential carpeting each year.
Consumers have to pay a Freon-removal charge if they place old refrigerator units curbside for pickup and disposal. Even if residents put their old carpeting out at curbside for pick-up as garbage, they are paying for pickup through their community tax structure.

Consumers now have an option of taking old carpeting to recycling facilities or arranging for pickup at a central location, such as a school or college, religious institution, place of work or gym.

This grass-roots consumer recycling process can offset the cost of collection and provide a positive community contribution towards the green initiative. It beats leaving old carpeting curb-side, destined for the landfill.

Commercial carpeting from renovation generates additional tonnage each year. Typically, this carpeting goes to landfills, where it takes up space – increasing landfill spread – and can take hundreds of years to decompose.
One square yard of carpet weighs 6 lbs. A typical dumpster has a volume of about 30 cubic yards. It can hold 15,000+ of loosely thrown in materials.

Carpet retailers and commercial facilities rent dumpsters to dispose of old carpeting, which involves a monthly cost of approximately $500.00 per pull of loaded dumpster. The cost of separating carpeting from other materials into either dry dumpsters or covered vans provide positive environmental impact using sustainable technology.

Cost per trailer collection process:

1. 1. A trailer can be placed at a construction site or warehouse location. These trailers are ideal because they:
   1. keep the carpet clean and dry
   2. can hold two to three times as much carpet as a dumpster, saving the cost of pick up and delivery of the dumpster
   3. Cost less than half of the monthly dumpster rental fee
   4. Provide a once-or-twice yearly program for consumer groups to positively contribute to the environment
   5. Provide an ongoing, cost-effective means of commercial and retail contribution to sustainable technology
2. Once the trailer is filled, the consumer organization or facility calls for a trailer replacement: one trailer is swapped out for another empty trailer.
   1. The fee assessed depends on the number of trailers used per collection site, the location of the collection site, the amount of carpet for recycling and the amount of carpet for waste to energy.
   2. Fee per trailer includes rental, trailer delivery cost, insurance, and testing, sorting and processing costs.

New markets for recycled carpet by products are developing. Carpet retailers can further impact the sustainability of this initiative by offering consumers recycled carpeting. Building materials made from recycled carpet byproducts are being incorporated into the construction of roadways and sports surfaces.