CARE Raises Carpet Assessment Fee to $0.35/Yard

Sacramento, CA, October 4, 2018-Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) has announced an updated assessment fee of $0.35 per square yard on all carpet sold or shipped in California, effective January 1, 2019. 

The rate is an increase from the previous assessment of $0.25 per square yard, set in January 2017. The assessment is collected by the retailer from the consumer, and is then remitted to CARE by way of the carpet manufacturers. 

The increase will be confirmed if the Program's 2018-2022 Plan is approved by CalRecycle, which administers the California Carpet Stewardship Program, at their October 16 public meeting.

"This is the only planned increase in the assessment included in our recently-submitted Five-Year Plan," noted CARE Executive Director Robert Peoples. "Should further adjustments be necessary during this time period, CARE will notify retailers as early as possible, with at least 90 days' notice. CARE is working diligently to increase carpet collection and recycling opportunities, while supporting the recycling infrastructure in the state. We are confident that the Plan will allow us to meet or exceed the required 24% statutory recycling rate as of January 1, 2020." CARE is continuing to operate under the CARE 2011-2016 Plan and CalRecycle has approved CARE's request to move forward with notification regarding an assessment increase that will be effective January 1, 2019.

The assessment funds support the following efforts:

* Ongoing subsidies to carpet recyclers and processors, in support of the carpet recycling industry and manufacturing of products made from recycled carpet. The subsidies help support capital investments in recycling equipment, materials testing and product development-especially in light of the impacts from China's National Sword on recycling markets overall.

* Developing new California-generated post-consumer carpet (PCC) content products, expanding California processing and manufacturing capacity, and encouraging procurement of California PCC-content products by private and government entities.

* Expansion of the carpet public drop-off site program, with a goal of establishing at least one site in every county in California.

* Continuing education/outreach efforts to carpet retailers, installers, manufacturers and consumers to encourage carpet recycling.