Members of Carpet Recycling UK (CRUK) recycled, reused or recovered 28 per cent of waste carpet in 2014, up one per cent on the year before and the highest level yet, it has been announced.

According to the not-for-profit organisation, its members recycled, reused or recovered 113,000 tonnes of the 400,000 tonnes of waste carpet created in the UK in 2014.

The figure, accounting for 28 per cent of the waste carpet stream, represents an increase of 6,000 tonnes on 2013 levels, when 27 per cent of waste carpet was diverted from landfill.

While the organisation has further surpassed its goal of diverting 25 per cent of carpet waste by 2015, the rate of increase in diversion levels, especially in reuse and recycling, has slowed; in 2013, diversion rose by 22,000 tonnes, or 21 per cent on the year before. Following the strong performance in 2013, CRUK had set a target of diverting 30 per cent of waste carpet from landfill in 2014, but its members have been unable to achieve the desired result.

The majority of the diverted waste carpet in 2014 (73,000 tonnes, or 65 per cent) was sent for energy recovery. This represents a six per cent increase in the proportion sent for energy recovery, due in part to the ‘general UK trend for municipal solid waste incineration as capacity increases, plus the continued strong demand from the cement industry for the benefits of carpet in solid recovered fuel, particularly chalk content’.

CRUK members recycled the remaining 40,000 tonnes of waste carpet (35 per cent), with flooring contractors and retailers reporting strong performance in recycling carpet offcuts for fibre recovery for felts.

However, this recycling performance is not as high as had been hoped, with the proportion of recycled and reused carpet falling by six per cent; in its document ‘2013 Achievements and 2014 Targets’, CRUK set the goal of reusing and recycling 45 per cent of diverted waste carpet and limiting energy recovery to 55 per cent. The proportion sent for energy recovery in 2014 increased significantly on 2013 levels, when only 59 per cent of diverted carpet was sent for recovery and 41 per cent was reused and recycled.

The number of carpet tiles diverted from landfill also increased in 2014, with 1.2 million tiles (or 330,000 square metres) being sent for reuse, recycling or energy recovery. It is hoped that the reuse and recycling of carpet tiles will further increase in 2015, following the publication of WRAP’s ‘Guidance on re-use and recycling of used carpets and environmental considerations for specifying new carpet’ (authored by CRUK), which was published in December 2014.

‘Carpet is now regarded as a valuable resource’

CRUK Director Laurance Bird welcomed the new figures, stating: “Our 2014 achievements clearly demonstrate that carpet is now regarded as a valuable resource that can be reused in a variety of innovative applications from energy to underlay.

“Last year, enquiry levels from local authorities, waste management companies, retailers and contractors increased compared to 2013, reflecting a welcome and greater understanding of our aims and what we can offer in terms of a sustainable and practical alternative to landfill.”

CRUK also highlighted that its membership levels have risen since last year, growing by 10 per cent to 86 members.

Find out more about Carpet Recycling UK.