Metro Vancouver has started a carpet recycling pilot program at the Coquitlam Transfer Station to evaluate opportunities to divert carpet waste from the landfill.
Each year, approximately 17,000 tonnes of carpet (two per cent of the waste stream) ends up in the regional disposal system. This pilot will direct carpet to a local recycler that recycles the nylon carpet fibres and sends the remaining underlay, as well as carpet types that cannot be recycled, to a local cement kiln for fuel. Nylon carpet fibres can be recycled into products such as car parts, electronic components and office chairs.
Carpets will be accepted for recycling from residents at the regular garbage tipping fee, with the tipping fee revenues used to cover the cost of recycling the material. If the project is successful in Coquitlam, it will be expanded to the other Metro Vancouver transfer stations across the region.