Eco-Industrial ParkEco-Industrial ParkLong-term strategy to utilize the Midwest’s post-consumer carpet

supply

Necessary Components of a Carpet Eco-Industrial Park

• Collection infrastructure

• Process to densify resin• Manufacturing facilities

that use either post-consumer carpet/fiber or densified resin as feedstock

Collection Infrastructure

Collection Infrastructure• Minnesota disposes 77,000 tons of carpet annually, not

including C & D carpet waste.• Would collect, identify, sort, and bale (and possibly grind)

post-consumer carpet as specified by the manufacturers.• Would collect from state vendors, general contractors, C

& D contractors, commercial management firms, flooring contractors, etc.

• Possibly could densify the resin on site.• Would sell the baled carpet/fiber or resin to manufacturers

(on- and off-site) for processing.

Post Consumer Carpet

Carpet is Identified and Sorted by fiber type/backing

PVC BackedFloor Tile

Nylon 6,6 Nylon 6 PPUrethane Backed

Floor TileWool,PET

Other

New Floor Tile

(Interface C & A, Shaw)

Needle Punch Carpet

Pad

WTE orFlood Bags

Refurbished Floor Tile

Milliken

Whole Carpet Extruded into Construction Sheeting byNylon Board

Manufacturing

Deconstruction of CarpetDepolymerzationBASF

Bales of Face Fiber Separated from Backing with Low Calcium Carbonate

Content

Bales of Whole Ground Carpet with

Backing HighCalcium

Carbonate Content

InjectionGrade Resin

Densified Nylon

Wood Plastic

Composite

Other Products

CarpetBacking

Landfill

WasteCarpet

PolyolefinBacked Carpet

Items for Consideration• State vendors

– Willing to explore collection options and offer a certificate guaranteeing recycling.

– Willing to alter their de-installation process to fit specifications required by the end-user or collection center.

• Commercial management firms, C & D contractors and other carpet installers have expressed interest in carpet recycling.

• DuPont, C & A, Interface, and Milliken have expressed interest in working w/ OEA on a collection issues.

Issues/Barriers• Landfilling of carpet is currently cheaper in the Metro

area versus recycling. • There is no ban on landfilling carpet.• Carpet manufacturers are paying NBM to take post-

industrial carpet (i.e. Shaw).• Other manufacturers (i.e. Winnebago) are also paying

NBM to take material or are giving it to them for free.• There is plenty of post-consumer carpet and not many

outlets.

Continuation of Issues/Barriers

• NBM is exploiting their position in the marketplace by refusing to pay for material (since they are getting paid to take material or are getting it for free).

• Certain manufacturers need justification to collect and recycle (i.e. DuPont) post-consumer carpet.

Positive Aspects of Collecting Post-Consumer Carpet

• Central Collection allows economy of scale.

• NBM has to use either post-consumer or post-industrial feedstock-virgin resin is too expensive.

• Collection is a non-issue if there are markets for the material.

Next Steps• Determine whether NBM is planning on starting up their

own collection infrastructure.

• Conduct discussions with manufacturers to gauge their interest in being part of a central collection system and what their commitment is to an eco-industrial park.

• Conduct discussions with manufacturers on how a collection center could be designed to fit their needs.

• Come to agreement with manufacturers that they will take material to the center, rather than to NBM, once center is started.

Continuation of Next Steps

• Conduct discussions with manufacturers about their goals in producing recycled content resin, recycled content carpet, etc.

• Require all public agencies to recycle all of their post-consumer carpet by inserting a standard specification in bid packages to general contractors.

Items to be Determined• Will an identification tool be widely available?• Which carpet manufacturers will be involved?• Which facilities will the post-consumer carpet be sent

to for processing?• What standards for removal will be required to ensure

clean material is brought to the collection center?• Costs for collection, handling, and transportation of

post-consumer carpet?• Grant opportunities (OEA and CARE)?

Timeline (Collection)

Engage fiber/carpet

manufacturers &partners to take

next steps

Gauge NBM’s placein market-

Determine whether a central

collection system is feasible

December2002

OngoingMarch2003

February 2003

Completeinitial

collection center

Get standard specification language in state agency

bids

Provide workplan outlining next steps to build a

collection center/system

Continuefacilitating

partnershipsand expand

system

December 2003

ResinResin

Recycled Resin

• Could be produced in a manufacturing facility– Manufacturer densifies resin in-house from post-

consumer carpet fiber-can then be extruded into a composite profile or used as an injection mold grade resin.

• Could be produced in a vertically integrated collection system– The collection center would collect, identify, sort, and

densify post-consumer carpet fiber-the recycled resin would then be sold to manufacturers.

Post Consumer Carpet

Carpet is Identified and Sorted by fiber type/backing

PVC BackedFloor Tile

Nylon 6,6 Nylon 6 PPUrethane Backed

Floor TileWool,PET

Other

New Floor Tile

(Interface C & A, Shaw)

Needle Punch Carpet

Pad

WTE orFlood Bags

Refurbished Floor Tile

Milliken

Whole Carpet Extruded into Construction Sheeting byNylon Board

Manufacturing

Deconstruction of CarpetDepolymerzationBASF

Bales of Face Fiber Separated from Backing with Low Calcium Carbonate

Content

Bales of Whole Ground Carpet with

Backing HighCalcium

Carbonate Content

InjectionGrade Resin

Densified Nylon

Wood Plastic

Composite

Other Products

CarpetBacking

Landfill

WasteCarpet

PolyolefinBacked Carpet

Recycled Resin is a marketable product if:

• ASTM tested• UL tested (electrical)• Feedstock is available• Cost of recycled resin is comparable or

cheaper than virgin resin• Board products or other high value product(s)

made with recycled resin are successful

Recycled nylon will not be CHEAPER unless:

• Oil prices decrease• Engineers take a

chance• A more efficient

system to recycle resin is designed and implemented (i.e. Honeywell)

Current Resin Producers

• DuPont• Wellman• Solutia• BASF• Honeywell/DSM

Potential Outlets for Recycled Resin

• Ford• Toro• Donaldson Corp.• Tier I and Tier II

suppliers to the auto industry

• Personal Recreational Vehicle Manufacturers (i.e. watercraft, ATV, motorcycles, etc.)

Issues and Barriers in Mainstreaming Recycled Resin

• Must convince manufacturers to use post-consumer carpet as a feedstock.

• Currently fiber manufacturers are selling OEM manufacturers and tier I & tier II suppliers virgin nylon for cheap.

• Cheaper to de-bottleneck a plant to increase capacity than to produce recycled resin.

• Recycled nylon hinders virgin nylon sales-do not make much profit selling recycled nylon.

Continuation of Issues & Barriers• Virgin fiber manufacturers are operating at 50%

capacity because of the recession, low oil prices, etc.

• Recycling process starts with dirty material-costs money to handle it and make it homogenous; cheaper to produce virgin nylon, rather than clean dirty fiber.

Dirty Fiber Virgin/Clean Product Recycled Nylon Cost to handle

and clean

Next Steps• Identify what R & D steps need to be taken to perform

ASTM and UL testing of recycled resin.• Ask fiber manufacturers to donate their current

recycled resin to perform tests (ASTM and UL) funded by CARE.

• Continue to explore and facilitate partnerships with manufacturers currently using recycled resin or with manufacturers that have the potential to incorporate recycled resin in their product(s) (i.e. Marvin Windows, Ford, etc.).

Timeline (Resin)

Engage Fiber Manufacturers &

Partnersto Take Next

Certification Steps

Develop Workplan and Apply to CARE

for Grant Funding

November2002

December2004

December2003

July2004

July 2003

Complete Testingand

Market Resin

InterimReport

Complete Initial Testing

and Modify Plan If Needed

March 2003

Complete Workplan,

Secure Funding, and Start

Project

CompositesComposites

Potential Composite Manufacturers

• Nylon Board Manufacturing

• Marvin Windows

• Weyerhauser A.E.R.T

Main Incentive for Composite Manufacturers

The product will be able to successfully compete in the marketplace

• Composites (wood-plastic or wood-nylon) are high performance materials that outlast wood products. Since consumers demand convenience and low-maintenance lifestyles, these composite products will be viable in the marketplace.

Issues and Barriers to Producing Composites with Recycled Resin • Inconsistent supply of resin available.

• What is the right mix of fiber types?

• Who will supply the resin?

• Will manufacturers want to use recycled resin in their composite product?

Next Steps to Begin Composite Manufacturing

• Identify consistent source of recycled resin

• Validate recycled resin through ASTM and UL testing

• Identify a manufacturing partner

• Product design and validation

• Marketing of product

Timeline (Composites)

Engage composite manufacturers/

partners to take next R & D Steps

Develop Workplan and

Findings for Grant Funding

2002December

2004December

2003July2004

July 2003

Complete Product Testing

and Market Product

First Interim Report

Complete Initial Testing

and Modify Plan as Needed

Second InterimReport

Dec 312002

Complete Workplan

Funding and StartProject

Additional Manufacturer

•Wood/Plastic Composites

•Extruded Board

Collection Center•Bale Material

•Grind Material•Identify Material

•Fiber/Resin (possible)

Nylon Board Manufacturing

•Extruded Board

•Vendors•Contractors •Manufactures

Pay to takePost-consumer

& Post-industrialcarpet

Pay

for

:

•Bale

d Carp

et

•Bale

d Fib

er

•Res

in

Pay for:•Baled Carpet

•Baled Fiber

•Resin

Sell

•Bale

d Carp

et

•Bale

d Fiber

•Resi

n

Excess

Manufacturing

CapacityTraded

Goal:Utilize Manufacturing Capacity @ 100%

Eco-Industrial Layout

Why an Eco-Industrial Park Makes Economic Sense

• Economies of Scale

• Lower Production Costs

• Lower Material Costs

• Lower Infrastructure Costs

• Greater Access to Financial Resources