Addressing post-consumer and industrial carpet waste, Innovate Recycle aims to further a circular economy

It is estimated that people consume 75% more resources each year than the Earth can naturally regenerate [1]. Government initiatives and UN Zero Waste targets are focused on making the current linear economic system more sustainable using a circular economy model [1]. Innovate Recycle claims that carpet is one of the least recycled materials in the world. The company’s unique recycling process transforms end-of-life carpet into reusable polypropylene, extracting the value from waste carpet and diverting plastics from landfills. 

Industry overview and challenges 

The global carpet and textile industries are facing a significant waste problem, with the UK alone generating approximately 500,000 tonnes of carpet waste every year [1]. The US carpet industry produces nearly 12 billion square feet of carpet annually, with only 5% of this being recycled [2]. Globally, the fabric and textile industry contribute 92 million tonnes of textile waste each year [3]. While this issue represents an environmental challenge, it also represents a substantial market opportunity. 

Although around 75% of carpets are made of valuable materials like nylon and polypropylene which are not typically biodegradable [1], it is believed that less than 2% of the 500,000 tonnes of end-of-life carpet produced in the UK each year is recycled [1]. Most carpet recycling companies send the waste flooring they receive to incinerators or landfills, with Innovate Recycle finding that 80% of this waste is plastic-based. This process leads to increasing levels of harmful and toxic CO2 emissions into the atmosphere [4]. Innovate Recycle further reports that carpet recycling in the UK has historically been difficult because most carpet contains a blend of plastic and wool materials. Carpet and textile flooring are particularly problematic when disposed of incorrectly in landfill sites, as the synthetic materials that make up these materials can take thousands of years to decompose.   

By 2019, the UK carpet industry was estimated to have caused £16.5m in climate harm [5]. This was directly attributed to the incineration of around 130,000 tonnes of carpet, which released approximately 243,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere [5]. Thousands of tonnes of carpet waste are dumped or incinerated annually in the UK and Europe, contributing to environmental pollution and resource wastage [5]. In 2018, it was estimated that only 56% of the 500,000 tonnes of end-of-life carpet waste created in the UK was sent to landfills [5]. Of the remaining carpet waste, 73% was diverted to incineration, 22% was shredded for use in equestrian arenas, and only 2% was recycled into a non-shredded product from carpet fibres. Staggeringly, less than 1% was reused [5]. To further complicate matters, the Environment Agency has recently restricted the use of plastic and carpet waste in equestrian surfacing, requiring an environmental permit for use [6]. To date, this has been the only realistic alternative for repurposed carpet waste.

Innovate Recycle claims that over 80% of end-of-life carpet made of synthetic plastic can be reclaimed and reused. However, there is currently no large-scale, viable process to recycle this material. Despite this, the pressure is mounting for industry stakeholders as national net zero targets reshape carpet waste laws. The UK government is actively introducing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation, which mandates certain industries to take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their products [7], including the costs associated with the end-of-life management of the goods they produce and sell [8]. While the EPR framework has yet to formalise a scheme for carpets in the UK [9], The UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) may propose an EPR scheme for bulky waste, including mattresses, furniture and carpets by 2025 [7]. This regulatory shift has inspired urgent calls for industry-wide collaboration and the development of the circular economy for flooring products in the UK [10].  

With the potential of a circular economy, new opportunities are emerging through the extraction of polypropylene, PET, and nylon fibres from carpet waste [11]. Innovate Recycle believes that there is significant value in the carpet waste that is currently being sent to landfills and polluting the environment.  

 

Introducing Innovate Recycle

Innovate Recycle claims to be the first and only company in the UK to fully recycle end-of-life carpet at volume, transforming waste to worth. Its flagship product, the Innovate rPP NORPLAS pellet range, provides a recycled polypropylene (rPP) content solution, which is intended to contribute to Zero Waste goals set out by the UK government, according to company.  

The company reports that it has developed a circular alternative to how the UK currently deals with waste carpet. It has designed a unique solution to deconstruct polypropylene carpet, reclaim the component parts, and return them for use in UK manufacturing. This aims to provide a sustainable waste management solution across major industries producing carpet waste including retail and domestic fitters. 

 

What does Innovate Recycle do? 

Innovate Recycle aims to recycle post-consumer and industrial carpet at volume, focusing on polypropylene-based carpets and the retrieval of polypropylene and calcium carbonate. It reports that it takes end-of-life and offcut carpet from local authorities, waste handling partners, industry distributors, retail partners, and large-scale, new homes carpet fitters.  

The company reports that it is the only business in the UK capable of recycling end-of-life polypropylene (PP) carpet into an almost pure polypropylene pellet. It asserts that this process is a UK first, solving the hugely damaging plastic pollution problem with a financially lucrative business model. The process is said to address the waste issue by supplying high-quality materials for manufacturing. 

Utilising a proprietary, fully mechanical process, Innovate Recycle separates PP from the calcium carbonate latex binding in carpets. This reclaimed PP, deconstructed first as fibre is then baled and pelletised. When the reclaimed material is turned into this form, it will be sold to the manufacturing supply chain, via brokers or directly to end users, ready to begin a new product lifecycle. 

Innovate Recycle’s flagship product is the Innovate rPP (recycled polypropylene) NORPLAS pellet range, which it claims is characterised by high tensile strength, appropriate melt flow, and colouring capability. The company sees uses for this product in several verticals including the automotive sector, injection moulding and 3D printing. From 2025, car manufacturers such as Volvo and Peugeot Citroen are planning to use a minimum of 25% recycled plastic, particularly polypropylene, in their new vehicle models [3]. 

With the benefit of a UK exclusivity agreement, Innovate Recycle is using patent-protected proven machinery and technology that was developed and refined in the US to create its first plant in Northampton, England. With this facility, the company’s first process line will process up to 20,000 tonnes of carpet waste per year at full capacity. It will also allow the company to support, enable and advise carpet manufacturers on how to create a more sustainable material benefiting their business. 

The next steps 

In 2022, Innovate Recycle established its first facility in Northampton, England. The site is producing around 25 tonnes of polypropylene per week. The company has earmarked a second site in Scotland for 2026.  

Innovate Recycle claims to have proven its concept in 2023 with the first sales of its recycled polypropylene pellets. As of Q4 2024, its main product, the Innovate rPP NORPLAS pellet range, is available for sale for UK manufacturing. 

In the same period, Innovate Recycle is directing its focus on the global import of carpet material, sales and the development of approximately 1,100 tonnes of rPP per month.  

With proof of concept established, the company plans to scale its production, expand its workforce, develop training and maintenance programmes and expand sales opportunities for the recycled polypropylene pellets. 

 

*Floww Markets Limited is a company authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Firm reference number 980098.

The information and imagery contained within this article does not represent the opinions of Floww. Floww does not have a view on opinions provided by Innovate Recycle Ltd in this article and elsewhere where they may be expressed, and is not responsible or liable for the information within this article.