Carpet Padding Alternative ways to recycle Trash Container Cut carpet padding to fit in your trash container. You may rent an additional container if needed, or from a private hauler. Send to a Foam Recycler Rebond carpet foam can be recycled by a foam recycler. Find a foam recycling program (drop-off or municipal). Moldy Padding Cannot Be Recycled Soiled or moldy carpet is contaminated and cannot be recycled. Foam recycling programs will not accept these carpets, so take them to the landfill instead. Recycle Carpet Pad With Carpet It’s common for the same companies that recycle your carpet to recycle the carpet pad as well. View a list of California retailers that accept carpet pads. OK in the Garbage Cart Place small amounts of carpet padding in the garbage cart. If you can’t fit all of it in the garbage, then take it to the landfill. Garbage haulers may not pick up your garbage if it does not fit in the receptacle. 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 and carpet pad recycling. They have a number of carpet reclamation partners in California that accept unwanted carpet padding and will recycle it for you. 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.