States, carpet makers agree on recycling targets to reduce landfill waste

ATLANTA - Eight states, federal regulators and major carpet manufacturers signed an agreement Tuesday to cut landfill disposal of old carpeting by 40 percent over the next decade. <br> <br> In the National Carpet Recycling Agreement, manufacturers pledge to take responsibility for their carpet from design to disposal. It took two years of negotiation to reach the agreement. <br> <br> About 2.5 million tons of carpet now end up in the nation&#39;s landfills. Manufacturers say they will work to recycle up to 27 percent of that and reuse as much as 5 percent. <br> <br> Sherry Enzler is director of the Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance. That&#39;s the agency that began exploring industries for products that can be reused and recycled. <br> <br> Enzler says the group wanted a solution without government regulation, which can be expensive. <br> <br> The agreement reached Tuesday is not legally binding, but officials say the effort&#39;s high profile will motivate companies to cooperate. <br> <br> About 80 percent of the nation&#39;s carpet supply is produced in five northwestern Georgia counties. <br> <br> California, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oregon and Wisconsin are the other states involved in the agreement.