DC Waste launches new carpet waste collection scheme
DC Waste Management Ltd has launched an innovative collection scheme for carpet fitting wastes from local carpet and flooring retailers in the Yorkshire area.
Set up in conjunction with Carpet Recycling UK, the industry-backed association for recycling and reusing waste carpet, this new recycling scheme supplies bulk bags in which retailers can store their carpet fitting wastes.
It is estimated that some 15,000 tonnes of clean, identifiable carpet waste are going to landfill in the UK every year, representing a sizeable waste of resources.
Dewsbury-based DC Waste collects the full bags for further processing and replaces these with empty ones. Waste carpet off-cuts are sent to local recyclers, such as Pennine Blending in Huddersfield, where they are made into new products. Pennine can process these offcuts to extract fibres for reuse, rather than them being lost for ever in landfill.
The one-tonne bulk bags are labelled as 'wool-rich carpet offcuts only' and 'synthetic carpet offcuts only'. This helps fitters to place their fitting wastes into the correct bags, helping to segregate material types before processing at DC Waste's warehouse.
Additionally, the firm has developed software to track the weight and types of carpet being recycled by each retailer, allowing it to provide retailers with accurate reports on their progress with recycling their carpet fitting wastes.
DC Waste Director Mick Claes, who runs the business with David Dickinson, reported that local carpet retailers have been keen to use the new scheme, with several retailers having already returned full bags of fitting wastes - saving over 400Kg of carpet from landfill, and reducing their skip hire costs.
Mick added: "We hope that more retailers will see the benefits of recycling and join us in reducing the amount of carpet going to waste each year."
CRUK Director Laurance Bird said that successful opportunities for retailers in Yorkshire and Lancashire to recycle their post-installation off-cuts are encouraging others throughout the country to follow their lead.
"Feedback from retailers suggests they are recognising that carpet waste is an issue and are more willing to explore carpet recycling ideas than ever before. Take-back services benefit everyone in the supply chain and we are keen to expand it across the country.
"Installation off-cuts can mount up to a sizeable amount of waste that has to be disposed of. Rather than incur ever-increasing landfill costs, a far better alternative is to send them for recycling. This not only enhances a retailer's 'green' credentials in the eyes of its customers, who are generally keen to see their installation waste disposed of in a more environmentally-friendly way, but it can also save on commercial disposal costs and skips," added Laurance.