CARE Invests $881,000 in California Carpet Recycling Innovation and Infrastructure

The California Carpet Stewardship Program has intensified its push for sustainable carpet recycling, managing $881,000 in grants to transform how the state handles carpet waste. The 2024 funding, distributed across 15 grants to 14 organizations, targets everything from expanding collection infrastructure to pioneering new recycling technologies for hard-to-process carpet materials.

The program’s capital improvement initiatives allocated $276,000 to two California-based entities, projecting an annual increase of 4 million pounds in recycled output and 600,000 pounds in collection capacity. These investments aim to strengthen the state’s carpet recycling infrastructure and processing capabilities.

CARE’s commitment to innovation is evident in its $200,000 investment in two Innovation & Design Grants awarded to University of California Davis and Arizona State University. These research projects focus on developing sustainable applications for PET fiber and PC4 backing material, addressing some of the most challenging aspects of carpet recycling.

The program also awarded seven microgrants totaling $105,000 to California-based projects, establishing three new public drop-off sites—two in rural counties—and expanding private pickup services. These initiatives are expected to facilitate the collection of an additional 654,000 pounds of carpet annually.

“These grants represent our ongoing commitment to expanding carpet recycling infrastructure and innovation across California,” said Abbie Beane, CARE grants manager. “We’re particularly proud of our progress in rural areas, making carpet recycling more accessible to all Californians.”

Looking ahead, CARE has announced new grant cycles for 2025, with applications for Capital, Testing, and I&D grants due by March 31, 2025. The organization will continue its Micro Grant program on a first-come, first-served basis, with Capital and Micro Grant programs exclusively available to California-based entities.

Since 2016, CARE has invested over $10.3 million in grants, demonstrating its long-term commitment to advancing carpet recycling technology and infrastructure in California.