A Blueprint for a Take-Back Recycling Scheme

In 2025, UKSFA commissioned circular economy specialists at Resource Futures to assess the current landscape of flooring take-back schemes and recycling infrastructure across the UK.

Each year, more than 500,000 tonnes of carpet and other flooring materials are removed or replaced across the UK – equivalent in weight to more than 11,000 articulated lorries. Currently, most of this material is either incinerated or sent to landfill, with only a small proportion recovered through reuse or recycling.

To help tackle this issue, this research project examined both domestic and commercial flooring systems, reviewing how discarded materials are currently collected, managed and processed, while identifying opportunities to expand existing take-back schemes. Engagement with scheme operators and waste management companies provided insight into the materials being collected, the facilities available to recycle them, and the practical challenges involved in scaling recovery efforts.

The findings, presented to members at the UKSFA Conference last year (2025), highlight the importance of stronger cross-sector collaboration and improved data sharing across the flooring value chain. In particular, the research emphasises the need for consistent and transparent data on flooring waste volumes, materials and flows to support more effective recycling and recovery initiatives.

The work provides UKSFA with a valuable evidence base to support industry engagement and policy discussions – including ongoing dialogue with Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) around the potential development of extended producer responsibility (EPR) for flooring.

By bringing together industry insight and practical data, the project marks an important step in coordinating sector-wide action to reduce flooring waste and increase material recovery across the UK. Read more about the project, here –

https://www.resourcefutures.co.uk/project/blueprint-flooring-take-back-recycling-recovery/