Carpet Pad Recycling
Recycling has come a long way in the last few decades and it has infiltrated everywhere, including carpeting. Carpet pad recycling has helped to make even getting rid of your carpet pad safer for the environment by keeping it out of the local landfill. It is estimated that approximately 125 million tons of carpet padding is thrown away each and every year, just in residential areas. This large amount of waste can be recycled into other products to help keep them out of the landfill.
Carpet pad recycling is a dirty business, but it's better than dumping yards and yards of carpet pads into landfills. Most carpet padding isn't recycled into new carpet pads but instead into other products, like "plastic" lumber. Find your own carpet pad recycling center and make money on your old flooring.
Unfortunately carpet pad recycling is not as widespread as you may think, or would like. Most people don't think much about recycling carpet pad, simply because it is not widely discussed. Foam carpet padding can be rebonded and recast to be reused as carpet padding, but most padding isn't reusable, because it absorbs dirt, germs and odors.
Some types of carpet padding will break down after several years of use, but not in a landfill. Due to the dirt, smell, and condition of used carpet padding, the recycled padding itself is used for other purposes, when it does get recycled.
Recycled carpet padding can be used for many different products, including mixed fiber products like geotextiles, lumber alternatives, carpet tack strips, fiberboard, under-the-hood auto parts, and sod reinforcement. Some fibers from carpet padding are also used to create new carpeting. All of these alternatives are much healthier for the environment and it can make you feel better about getting rid of that old, nasty carpet padding.
To find a carpet pad recycling center ask at your local carpeting or home improvement store or look online. Many times your local carpeting store will take the padding and sell it to the carpet padding recycling center. If you can find your own recycling center, you can take that money yourself, though you'll have to do your own hauling. Most people don't realize that recycled carpet pad has value so don't even think to check about recycling it. By making contact with the right person, you can receive that value.
You can purchase carpet padding that is made from recycled products as well. This can be an environmentally friendly way to add cushioning and stability to your new carpet and you do not have to worry about many of the health concerns that are found in other types of carpet padding. By using healthier, more environmentally friendly products, you can keep you and your family healthier and impact the earth less.
Carpet pad recycling and recycled carpet padding can help to make your carpet removal and installation healthier for you, your family, and the environment. Whether you are recycling your old carpet padding or putting in new carpet padding, you will make your home and life "greener" with carpet pad recycling.
I am in Lake City Florida and cannot find a recycling center is there anyway you can help i would appreciate it thanks.
Ryan Hardin at May 14, 2009 7:30 AMHi Ryan,
The Flooring Lady at May 14, 2009 10:42 PMI'm not familiar with your area, perhaps you could as your local Chamber of Commerce on get in touch with the some sort of local government type official? Florida is wonderfully 'green', I'm sure somebody has the information you seek. You might even want to give your garbage collection company a call - often they know about these things. Have you looked in your local yellow pages under Recycling?
i am calvin where is the closest recycling center in killeen texas
Anonymous at October 7, 2009 7:10 PMCalvin,
Your local city or county trash service (streets and sanitation) should be able to direct you to the closest place for recycling.
The Flooring Lady at October 9, 2009 12:19 PM