Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) has begun promoting AB 2398 to consumers in California. Beginning July 1, a 5 cent per square yard stewardship assessment will be added to the sale of all carpet sold or shipped into California. The assessment will appear as a separate, after-tax line item, and the revenue generated will be used to incentivize carpet recycling.

"CARE has developed communications materials for consumers, such as signs, store placards and informational flyers," said Georgina Sikorski, exec director of CARE. "These materials are being distributed and will be in stores by July 1." She emphasized that an increase in recycling will need to be driven largely by consumer demand. "As more new carpet customers ask to have their old carpet recycled instead of being landfilled, retailers are finding ways to make that happen."

The carpet product stewardship program will be administered by Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE), a not-for-profit organization formed as a public/private partnership between government entities, entrepreneurs and the carpet industry to find market-based solutions for carpet recycling. CalRecycle will provide oversight for the AB 2398 program, which requires carpet manufacturers to participate in an approved carpet stewardship program as well as conduct consumer education programs.

More information about AB 2398 can be found on the CARE and CalRecycle websites atwww.carpetrecovery.organdwww.calrecycle.ca.gov.