Carpet Recycling UK paves the way in making the carpet and textile flooring sector become more sustainable

In this issue of Sustainability Today, we are pleased to feature Carpet Recycling UK Ltd as our Sustainable Carpet & Textile Flooring Company of the Month.

Carpet Recycling UK is an independent nonprofit membership association working with manufacturers, distributors, contractors, retailers, fitters, reuse organisations and the waste sector to divert carpet waste from landfill.

Established in 2007 by industry leaders, Carpet Recycling UK works to foster strategic collaborations and networks to develop viable solutions for carpet and other textile flooring waste. Above all, it aims to repurpose carpet and textile flooring while promoting sustainability; it does this through providing general and bespoke support to its members and the wider industry on reducing the amount of waste produced, and identifying suitable reuse, recycling, and end of life treatment opportunities for the waste generated in the UK.

Based in Manchester and the northwest, Carpet Recycling UK has members located throughout the UK and internationally and works with the entire supply chain within the carpet and textile flooring sector. Currently standing at 135 active members, Carpet Recycling UK represents close to 80% of the carpet and textile flooring sector in the UK.

The company brings a unique offering that comes unrivalled in the industry, and allows member to take advantage of emerging opportunities in carpet and textile flooring reuse and recycling. Its exclusive range of services reflect the company’s sustainability policy that remains at the heart of everything it does, keeping itself and its members primed for the future. Adnan Zeb-Khan, Carpet Recycling UK Scheme Manager, added, “We also work with the raw material suppliers and manufacturers to educate them on designing products for recyclability and circularity within the sector. The independent, not-for-profit trade association is urging raw material suppliers, manufacturers, contractors, fit out contractors, retail flooring companies and the wider industry to engage with its network to collaborate in putting sustainable processes in place that minimise waste, save on costs and keep resources in the supply chain longer. The aim is to consider reuse and recycling at the design stages and produce products with circularity in mind and to implement processes to retrieve them for reuse and recycling. We also need to promote member preparedness for changes in future governmental legislation and policy linked to sustainability and reuse.”

We asked Adnan how the company is looking to combat the potential changes to waste policy and legislation in the UK, he answered, “We have set up four working groups with its core members to develop blueprints and a roadmap that is best suited and is workable to their sector. These groups comprise Data Management – necessary to measure performance; Sustainability Pledge – setting out realistic targets; Policy and Legislation – what do want from an

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme and a Take-Back Scheme – assessing how everyone within the sector needs to collaborate to develop a system and process to take materials back at the end of their life.

“Carpet Recycling UK is leading the sector to develop a better understanding of the challenges ahead but also has a keen interest in supporting low-income families in the UK.

“Carpet Recycling UK also actively works with charities, reuse networks and housing associations to provide much needed carpet flooring to support low-income families. In addition, we engage with independent consultants, universities and industry on finding new methods of extracting value and recoverable materials from the products produced by the sector. The UK construction sector is an area of interest to us as our members work with this sector to provide carpet and textile flooring products. New sustainability initiatives in new build projects helps to reduce waste in the future.”

Carpet Recycling UK keeps its members at the core of its business values. The membership made up of businesses and organisations from every stage of the carpet supply chain, together with recyclers and equipment providers are key to the company’s reputation. Each year, Carpet Recycling UK is attracting more international figures wanting to speak at their events and conferences and its members are growing at a rapid rate. With the recent appointment of a new Member Services Manager, Julie Callaghan, members will now receive more bespoke care and services.

info@carpetrecyclinguk.com https://carpetrecyclinguk.com