Carpet Reports

Toxic Carpets in the European Union

March 2018 report (PDF) by Anthesis Consulting Group PLC for Stichting Changing Markets: "This study is designed to give an overview of the most worrying chemicals used in carpets currently sold into the European market and the impacts of these chemicals on human and environment health as well as the transition to the circular economy. This study investigates how these chemicals are viewed in the current regulatory framework and certification schemes, and actions that can be taken for their elimination or replacement in transition to the circular economy. This study lays out extensive detail on the extent of the European carpets market and chemical additives used in manufacture for that market, whilst developing pertinent recommendations for regulators, manufacturers and consumers."

GAIA and Changing Markets carpet reports

Two reports from the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) and Changing Markets critical of CARE and carpet manufacturers:
In the December 2016 report, Swept Under the Carpet: Exposing the Greenwash of the U.S. Carpet Industry (PDF), "Industry proponents point the finger at outside causes - such as low oil prices, or unfavorable market conditions" when responding to the failure of California’s program. "But in reality CARE is largely responsible with its badly designed and implemented plan that fails to take into account concerns of other actors and mostly benefits the big carpet manufacturers." GAIA concludes that the "real barriers in moving the U.S. carpet industry in a more sustainable direction are complacency, greenwashing, and the lobbying efforts of carpet manufacturers to maintain the status quo... [GAIA's investigation] found that the major leaders in the industry worked in tandem to undermine the success of the California Carpet Stewardship Act (AB 2398), and successfully prevented similar producer responsibility or product stewardship schemes from passing in any other state. This kept recycling rates low and resulted in billions of pounds of carpets ending up in landfills and being incinerated across the country."
GAIA's April 2017 report, The CAREless Carpet Industry: A Critique of the California Carpet Stewardship Program’s Reliance on Incineration (PDF), concludes that "CARE has implemented a program that fails to (1) properly incentivize recycling and the use of recycled content, (2) provide adequate subsidies for collection and recycling, and (3) implement the necessary industry and consumer education to support a serious carpet recycling program in California."

Evaluation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated with Recycled-Content Products: California Purchasing Guidelines for Carpet, Single-Use Alkaline Batteries, Monitors, Televisions, Laptops, and Tablet Computers

This case study from CalRecycle (the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery) examines four products (carpet, single-use alkaline batteriesmonitors and TVs, and laptops and tablet computers), to compare greenhouse gas emissions from recycled content products with those made from virgin materials. May 2012.

Residential and Commercial Carpet Case Study: The Potential Impacts of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in California on Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions

This case study was produced for CalRecycle (the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery) to "estimate the life-cycle greenhouse emissions associated with the production, transport, and disposal of carpets consumed by California residential and commercial buildings, and the potential for reducing these emissions through improvements to product design, manufacturing, and end-of-life product management." CalRecycle and the University of California, Berkeley. May 2012.

NWPSCNWPSC Recommendations Regarding CARE MOU Renewal Process (PDF)

Northwest Product Stewardship Council. February 2010.

Environmentally Preferable Carpet information sheet (PDF)

King County Environmental Purchasing Program. April 2009. 

Environmental Impacts From Carpet Discards Management Methods: Preliminary Results (PDF) 

Dr. Jeffrey Morris, Sound Resource Management. October 2008.