California carpet bill signed into law

California signed into law California’s AB 2398, Carpet Stewardship Bill. The bill, which was sponsored by Assembly Speaker John A. Perez, (D-Los Angeles) represents new thinking in the area of product stewardship in that it incentivizes carpet recycling by rewarding those who produce marketable products.

The bill generates revenue through an initial assessment of $.05 per square yard of carpet sold in California. Further, manufacturers will be required to establish a stewardship plan with the state for implementing carpet recycling.

To develop their required stewardship plan, manufacturers will work with California regulatory agencies with the help of the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE). Founded in 2002, CARE is a non-profit organization that works to find market-based solutions for recycling carpet and diverting it from landfills. CARE is listed in the AB 2398 legislation as the carpet industry’s designated stewardship organization.

CARE will begin working immediately with CalRecycle to develop a stewardship plan that will increase carpet recycling. The Carpet Stewardship Bill is unique in that it provides monetary incentives for the creation of marketable products from old California carpet.