Carpetright, the UK’s biggest carpet retailer, has joined forces with Carpet Recycling UK member Countrystyle Group to recycle nearly 50 tonnes of carpet waste off-cuts - enough to cover more than three football pitches - each year.
Both companies acknowledge the role of Carpet Recycling UK, the trade association for recycling and reusing carpet, in helping to launch the scheme that is diverting around four tonnes of carpet waste each month from landfill. It was introduced as part of Carpetright’s overall review of waste disposal streams with the aim of achieving a ‘zero waste to landfill’ policy. CRUK’s 2011 targets include diverting 50,000 tonnes of waste carpet (12% of an annual 420,000 tonnes) from landfill.
Countrystyle provides a 40 cubic yard Roll-on/Roll-off skip to collect and transport carpet off-cuts from the cutting process at Carpetright’s Purfleet distribution centre in Essex. Harris House is Europe’s largest carpet warehouse and cutting distribution centre, where carpet rolls from manufacturers’ bulk deliveries are cut to size and distributed to Carpetright stores throughout the UK and Europe.
Carpet off-cuts are taken by Countrystyle to a third party site, where they are shredded for energy end markets. Previously these were compacted and sent to landfill.
Ian Rainsley, Carpetright Group Risk and Safety Manager, explained: “During the course of our waste review, I met Countrystyle’s Recycling Manager Chris Howard at last year’s Carpet Recycling UK conference. We started chatting over coffee and the recycling initiative started from there.
“As a result, we agreed to segregate waste virgin carpet into a skip provided by Countrystyle for recycling (where possible) or incineration, thereby preventing this material going to landfill via the site’s general waste compactor. We no longer send general waste to landfill; it is burnt to generate power.”
Although the scheme incurs a small extra cost compared to landfill disposal, Ian said it is the right thing to do, adding: “We accept our responsibility as Europe’s leading floor coverings retailer to set an example in respect of environmental issues. If it weren’t for Carpet Recycling UK, we possibly may not have done this.”
Kevin Sibley, Countrystyle Commercial Manager, commented: “CRUK very much acted as a catalyst for launching this initiative and provides a focal point for both producers and processors like ourselves to find new ways of tackling carpet waste.
“Despite the slight cost of segregation and transportation, I think the scheme will become cost neutral given that landfill tax is set to rise by another £8 per tonne from next April,” added Kevin.
CRUK co-ordinator Jane Gardner commented: “It’s very encouraging to see CRUK members collaborating to increase diversion of carpet waste from landfill.”
CRUK plans to increase recycling outlets to 40 across the UK, conduct further collection trials and attract additional funding to support technical work on end market development for carpet waste.
For more information, visit www.carpetrecyclinguk.com