Save the Gulf Coast with Your Old Carpet

posted by Chaya, selected from Networx Jul 22, 2010 6:00 am
filed under: Conscious Consumer, Reduce, Recycle & Reuse, carpet, oil spill
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Your stained shag carpet could stop the oil spill. At least one Florida county is using GeoHay, or bales of recycled carpet, to help protect the shoreline from some of the oil spilling into the Gulf from the broken BP oil well. GeoHay is a temporary erosion control device that lets water flow but absorbs suspended oil and other sediments. It is used as an alternative to hay bales and silt fences.

Synthetic carpet is non-biodegradable, which is usually a negative. It means it might sit in landfills for thousands of years. However, the non-sustainable, non-biodegradable nature of traditional carpet makes it perfect for a messy oil spill job. Straw and hay bales are less effective because they are biodegradable, and gradually erode as water breaks them down.

Officials in Walton County, in the eastern end of the Florida panhandle, are using GeoHay to protect dune lakes and white sand beaches. GeoHay is one of many creative uses of old carpet. The Carpet America Recovery Effort lists local carpet recycling sites here. The group boasts it kept more than 300 million pounds of used carpet out of landfills last year, turning 80 percent into other consumer products.

In addition to forming GeoHay for erosion control, used carpet fibers can be turned into construction materials, coal substitutes, plastics and new carpet.

NyconG is a reinforcing fiber for concrete and other construction materials. It is made from 100 percent recycled carpet and carpet backing. The manufacturer promises the material lowers production costs and may be eligible for tax credits and LEED credit savings.

Kela Energy uses recycled coal waste and used carpet fibers to create an alternative energy source that burns cleaner, hotter and more efficiently than coal.
Los Angeles Fiber and several other companies make new carpet from your old carpet. Other companies are making a variety of plastics, including bottles and car parts, from used carpet fibers.

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14 comments add your comment

Dianne D. says
Jul 23, 2010 9:05 AM
Good idea. Think before you toss. My cats can go out on my enclosed patio and they love to sit on carpet rugs when the concrete floor is cold. Better yet, get a box and line it with carpet and they love to snooze in it. Cut up the carpet for little throw rugs outside your doors. I use old carpet in the garage so I can wipe my feet before going through the kitchen door. I also use old carpeting outside the litter boxes to catch any loose litter on my cat's feet. I have very little litter on the floor and I pick up the carpet square and dump the litter back into the litter box.

Leah D. says
Jul 23, 2010 8:07 AM
This is awesome, it needs to be more widely publicized and brought into more cities!

Chealse B. says
Jul 23, 2010 2:23 AM
During the repainting some paint fеll on the carpet. I thought to throw the carpet, but i saw advert of after builders cleaning. They managed to save my carpet. So happy :)

Heather A. says
Jul 22, 2010 10:48 PM
Brilliant. In situations like these, a variety of creative ideas is the best solution.

Ann Eastman says
Jul 22, 2010 8:13 PM
Interesting article, thanks.

Erin R. says
Jul 22, 2010 5:25 PM
Thanks for sharing.

Liz Thompson says
Jul 22, 2010 3:51 PM
Thanks for the info...

Linus Schönnings says
Jul 22, 2010 3:36 PM
great

Gail Lopez says
Jul 22, 2010 9:59 AM
I love it! After years of discarding old carpet now there are so many ways to recycle it for further use, who knew? I wish there were legislation requiring carpet mfg cos., distributors and dealers to inform the public about recycling old carpet as well as correct disposal of the carpet being removed (I've seen where this stuff has ended up). I'll make a point of at least visiting the nearby neighborhoods on bulk trash removal week and speaking to our city's Green Advisory Board about what efforts they could suggest