Innovate Recycle, UK’s first factory to repurpose waste carpet

Innovate Recycle’s factory in Northampton has planned to repurpose up to 20,000 tonnes of waste carpet each year. It is UK’s first factory to reduce carbon emissions in the flooring industry.

Innovate Recycle got a report commissioned which found out that in the UK, out of the 500,000 tonnes of carpet waste made every year, only 2% of it is being recycled. This waste either goes to other countries to be handled or gets turned into new carpets, especially if the old carpet was made from wool, which is easier to recycle. Currently, carpet waste that is not recycled is either sent to landfill or burnt.

Mr Eccleston said he was inspired to tackle the issue after working in the flooring industry as a retailer and noticing the large amount of waste. He added, “Seeing is believing. Having this facility in Northampton is quite key to getting people to come and see what we’re doing, how we recycle carpet and the impact that they can have.”

It took around £10 million to build the factory, and it was opened in April at the Lodge Farm Industrial Estate in Duston. This factory takes in waste material, sorts it out, and separates it. There is a line of machines that take apart polypropylene plastic from the bottom part of carpets. Then, they turn this plastic into small pieces called pellets. These pellets can be used to make things like car bumpers and storage containers.

Martin Harris, chief executive of retailer Tapi Carpets, recognized that finding solutions to the industry’s waste issue was an “important topic that needs dealing with”.

The company has been working together with Innovate Recycle. Their store in Milton Keynes is the first one in the country that gives sorted waste to the recycling experts.