Use of waste carpet in equestrian surfaces to be banned

The Government is banning the use of waste carpet in equestrian surfaces, by withdrawing a statement “likely before 1 January”.

In a briefing to Carpet Recycling UK (CRUK), the Environment Agency (EA) said: “Following a review of the available evidence on chemicals in carpets, the EA has decided to withdraw RPS248 on the use of shredded waste carpet in equestrian surfacing”.

H&H reported in 2021 that the EA was cracking down on materials used in equestrian surfaces such as arenas and gallops, and that the regulatory position statement (RPS) legislation had come into force.

The RPS, which applied to waste carpet that had been shredded or in fibre form before it was used, covered discarded carpet fibres and offcuts from new carpets made in the UK and the EU classed as waste, and treated post-consumer waste carpet.

The rules included limits on the amount and type of carpet that could be used, the treatment it had had and the distance between surfaces and watercourses.

An EA spokesman confirmed to H&H last week that this RPS will be withdrawn.

“As a result of our increased knowledge about how carpets are manufactured, the Environment Agency is currently working closely with the carpet recycling industry, including Carpet Recycling UK, on the withdrawal of the regulatory position statement that would allow the use of shredded waste carpet in equestrian surfacing in future,” he said.

“At the current time, owners do not need to take any action, such as removing existing equestrian surfaces containing waste carpet.”

In the briefing to CRUK, an “independent non-profit membership association working with manufacturers, distributors, contractors, retailers, fitters and the waste sector to divert carpet waste from landfill”, the EA said its decision comes following a review of evidence on chemicals in carpets.

“On withdrawal of the RPS, the use of shredded waste carpet in equestrian surfacing will not be allowed under any regulatory positions or exemptions from environmental permitting in England,” the briefing states.

It adds that a 2012 “low-waste risk position” allowed use of waste carpet in surfaces, but that this was replaced by RPS248 as “the environmental risks no longer supported this activity being low-risk”, owing to “uncertainty on chemicals risk, microplastic releases and non-conforming material contamination”.

Subsequent evidence and data from CRUK working group members “informed the decision” to withdraw the RPS.

The briefing cites chemicals and microplastics found in most shredded carpet that may have a negative effect on human and animal health and on the environment.

“In future, the regulatory discussions will be about whether the level of contamination is so high as to require hazardous waste incineration of waste carpet,” it states. “Our initial thinking is that the proportion that exceeds the limit is probably too small for us to take that approach. However, we must then ensure that carpet containing these chemicals is managed in an environmentally sound manner and can no longer consider it low enough risk to be used in equestrian surfacing.”

The EA added that it “may consider permit applications for the use of waste carpet from facilities that have effective measures to identify and exclude carpets containing chemicals of concern and control release of microplastics. For example, the use of carpet manufacturing waste of known benign chemical composition and composed only of natural fibres might be considered”. The briefing says it is likely the RPS will be withdrawn before the end of the year.

A CRUK spokesman told H&H the CRUK working group is in discussions with the EA.

Mark Gilbert of Advanced Equine Surfaces, which owns Carpet Gallop, told H&H the withdrawal has major financial implications for companies in the marketplace, and potentially for the number of businesses that have carpet fibre in their arenas.

“The EA created RPS 248 and this has worked well with the support of the industry leaders,” he said. “We’ll be going back to them to say we need more time to digest this and understand what needs to be done to ensure its use can continue. We’ll continue doing what we do within the regulations we work to.”

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