UK’s big stride towards landfill diversion target for carpet waste

United Kingdom – Approaching 170 000 tonnes of the UK’s carpet waste was reused, recycled or recovered for energy last year, according to Carpet Recycling UK (CRUK). There was an increase of 26 000 tonnes over 2016 and a step-up in the landfill diversion rate from 35% to 42%; a goal of 60% landfill diversion has been set for the year 2020.

Energy recovery accounted for 124 000 tonnes of the 2017 total with the growing use of carpets as a renewable fuel source in cement kilns; some 42 000 tonnes was either reused or recycled.

‘In 2017, main growth areas were in equestrian surface materials, carpet tile reuse, carpets for cement kilns to replace fossil fuels and local incineration of municipal solid wastes,’ CRUK reports.

Awareness and interest in recycling carpet waste continues to grow, notes CRUK director Laurance Bird, with 640 enquiries handled by the organisation’s team last year for an increase of 28% over 2016.

Last year also saw the staging of the fourth annual Carpet Recycling Awards, providing ‘wide recognition for the innovations achieved by the specialist carpet reuse and recycling members across a broad range of categories’.