Carpet See Alternatives Take to Landfill Take carpet to Cold Canyon Landfill, Chicago Grade Landfill or Paso Robles Landfill for disposal. OK in the Trash Place small amounts of carpet in the trash. If you can’t fit all of it in the garbage, then take it to the landfill. Garbage collectors may not pick up your trash if it does not fit in the receptacle. Non-Recyclable Carpet Goes in the Trash Most carpet recycling programs will not accept carpet that is contaminated by paint, drywall, asbestos or mold. Small amounts of contaminated carpet can thrown away, while larger carpets must be taken to the landfill. Alternative Ways to Recycle Give to a CARE-Affiliated Company The Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) is a joint industry-government project to increase carpet recycling. They have a number of carpet reclamation partners in California that accept unwanted carpet and will recycle it for you. Ask the Carpet Installer Some carpet retailers have recycling programs already in place. Ask the carpet installer if they participate in recycling programs for old carpet. Ways to Reduce Purchase an Eco-Friendly Carpet Consider purchasing an eco-friendly carpet to reduce your environmental impact. The most eco-friendly carpets are made from natural, renewable fibers, such as seagrass, jute and organic cotton. Did You Know? Carpet’s Surprising Impact on the Environment Carpet has the fourth largest greenhouse gas footprint of any product waste in California and currently, less than 50 percent of it is recycled in the southern part of the state.