MN HF1426

Establishes a carpet stewardship program requiring carpet producers to participate beginning January 1, 2022, and sets stewardship assessments of 4 cents per square foot for polypropylene, wool, and nylon carpet, and 6 cents per square foot for polyethylene terephthalate and nonuniform fiber carpet.

Creates a nonprofit carpet stewardship clearinghouse administered by the commissioner with an 11-member board representing retailers, producers, recyclers, waste disposal, environmental organizations, waste management, carpet manufacturers, and carpet installers.

Sets escalating recycling rate goals of 15 percent by 2024, 20 percent by 2025-2026, 30 percent by 2027-2028, 40 percent by 2029-2030, and 50 percent by 2031 and thereafter.

Requires carpet installers in the Twin Cities metro area (Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, Washington, Dakota counties) beginning January 1, 2025, and in additional counties (Sherburne, Wright, Carver, Scott, Olmsted) beginning January 1, 2028, to deliver discarded carpet to collection sites.

Establishes a stewardship assessment account to fund program operations, including annual agency oversight fees capped at $300,000 or 2 percent of collected assessments, and permissible payments to collection sites of $20 per ton of collected carpet.