Carpet manufacturers selling in New York state will soon be required to fund a carpet collection and recycling program under New York’s new carpet extended producer responsibility (EPR) program, which is set to begin July 1, 2026.
New York’s carpet EPR law took effect in December 2024, and requires that carpet producers establish or join a collection program approved by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). Producers may comply individually or by participating in a “representative organization”—the equivalent of a producer responsibility organization (PRO) under other EPR frameworks.
Covered Products
The program applies to most carpet types sold in New York, including but not limited to:
- Broadloom carpet
- Modular carpet tiles
- Artificial turf
- Carpet pads and underlayment
Handmade rugs, area rugs, and mats are excluded from the program’s scope.
Statutory Requirements
The law establishes phased-in requirements for recycled content and recycling performance based on the number of years following NYSDEC’s approval of a producer’s initial program plan.
One year after plan approval:
- All carpet sold must contain at least 10% post-consumer recycled content.
- All carpet must be accompanied with the producer’s name and contact information, as well as the material, composition, and construction type.
Five years after plan approval:
- All carpet sold must contain at least 20% post-consumer recycled content.
- Producers must achieve a 30% recycling rate, including at least 10% closed-loop recycling.
Ten years after plan approval:
- All carpet sold must contain at least 30% post-consumer recycled content.
- Producers must achieve a 50% recycling rate, with at least 20% closed-loop.
Fifteen years after plan approval:
- Producers must achieve a 75% recycling rate, of which 40% must be closed-loop.
In addition, starting December 31, 2026, no carpet sold in New York may contain or be treated with PFAS for any purpose.
If a producer or representative organization fails to meet its performance targets, starting four years after plan approval, NYSDEC will assess a penalty of $0.25 per pound for the shortfall—the difference between the actual amount recycled and the amount required to meet the goal.
Key Deadlines
- December 31, 2025: Deadline for producers or representative organizations to submit their collection program plans to NYSDEC. The department must approve or reject plans within 90 days.
- July 1, 2026: Producers may not sell carpet into the state unless participating in an approved collection program plan.
- December 31, 2026: Ban on PFAS-containing carpet takes effect.
- July 1, 2027: Producers or representative organizations must submit their first annual report to NYSDEC on their program’s implementation.
NYSDEC’s website states that it is “in the preliminary stage of developing” regulations to implement the law. More information is available in a June 2025 NYSDEC webinar slide deck.