CARE Reports on Covid Action Plan, Recycling Rates in 2020

Dalton, GA, December 16, 2020-Carpet America Recovery Effort’s (CARE) COVID-19 Action Plan, designed to help California carpet recyclers through the difficult pandemic period, has been extended through March 31, 2021. The plan updates include:

* The early subsidy payment options currently set to expire will be continued through March 2021

* The additional two cents/pound temporary subsidy for collections will be continued through March 2021.

* The enhanced temporary Tier 1 and Tier 2 subsidies enacted in March 2020 will be continued through March 2021.

CARE enacted the original measures in March to support recycling businesses and to ensure continued success of the California Carpet Stewardship Program. Despite the economic and operational disruptions caused by the pandemic, California’s carpet recycling rate rebounded to 20.5% in Q3 2020, up from 19.8% in the second quarter, according to CARE’s latest quarterly update for the California Carpet Stewardship Program. Residential carpet sales were up versus Q2, while commercial carpet sales lagged as employees worked from home and major projects were postponed.

The Program in Q3 saw:

* 21.8 Million pounds of carpet collected (+31% vs. Q2)

* 14.3 Million pounds of recycled output (+32% vs. Q2)

* $5.27 Million in subsidy payouts

In addition, Rachel Wagoner has been appointed director of CalRecycle. Wagoner has served as deputy legislative secretary in the office of the governor since 2019. She was chief consultant for the California State Senate Committee on Environmental Quality from 2009 to 2018, research director at the University of Illinois, Chicago School of Public Health from 2008 to 2009 and an advisor at the Department of Environment for the City of Chicago in 2008. This position requires California Senate approval.