Wall-to-wall carpet can bring warmth and comfort to a home for many years. But what to do when it reaches end of life? This bulky material takes up a lot of space in our landfills, and stays there, unchanged, for hundreds of years. But in California, old carpet doesn't have to go to a landfill … it can be recycled into a wide range of useful products.

Spurred by a state law passed in 2010, the California Carpet Stewardship Program (a program of the national nonprofit Carpet America Recovery Effort, or CARE) has been working to find environmentally friendly uses for carpet for some 15 years. In that time, the recycling rate for carpet in the state has soared to over eight times the national average, as CARE set up a network of 170 drop-off sites for carpet collection, supported recyclers and fostered the market for recycled carpet material.

Old carpet is broken down and recycled into a variety of new products, mostly for the construction and automotive industries. Recycled carpet material can be found in siding, absorbent, auto parts, insulation, wheelchair ramps and, yes, new carpet. So, it's vital and useful to keep carpet out of landfills.

You can help:

Buy wisely.

Ask your retailer about eco-friendly carpet and fiber underlayment. Look for products made with recycled carpet content that can be easily recycled at the end of life. When buying carpet, you pay the carpet assessment that is required by California law. These funds support carpet recycling in the state.

Make it last

Most wall-to-wall carpet and carpet tile is made from fossil fuels, the same material that powers most cars and lights buildings. To preserve valuable resources, making your carpet last as long as possible is the smart thing to do. Plus, proper maintenance protects your investment. See tips at CarpetRecovery.org/Maintain.

Reuse it!

Is your carpet ready to retire? All things must pass, but it's often possible to give old carpet a new life. Here are some tips for taking care of carpet in its retirement:

• Reuse it around the house – Old carpet, especially carpet tiles, is useful in laundry rooms, garages, pet pens and other areas. Use carpet squares as pads to prevent furniture from sliding.
• Donate it – Your discarded carpet in good condition could be someone else's treasure. Contact local thrift stores or community groups.
• Give it away – List your old carpet with a service like Freecycle or Nextdoor and help your neighbors.

Recycle it!

When reuse is no longer an option, recycling is the way to go. Just as we recycle cans and bottles, there are ways to recycle carpet, too. In California, there are over 170 public drop-off sites where carpet can be taken for recycling into useful new products. (Fees may apply.) See the map of public drop-off sites at CarpetRecovery.org/CA and tell your contractor or flooring retailer that you want your old carpet to be recycled.

Californians can now choose to keep the material in old carpet circulating in the economy and out of landfills … and that's a win for everyone. Learn more at CarpetRecovery.org.