Tapijt detoxen

The document identifies over 59 hazardous substances in carpets sold in the EU, including carcinogens and endocrine disruptors, which pose risks to consumers, workers, and the environment. It highlights a regulatory gap where many of these substances are not restricted and notes that recycled materials often face lower health standards than new materials. The briefing argues that these toxics hinder the circular economy by contaminating recycled products and complicating mechanical recycling. It recommends that the European Commission implement a product-specific carpet directive, establish Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, and introduce a comprehensive EU ecolabel to phase out hazardous chemicals and promote non-toxic, recyclable design.

• Carpets sold in the European Union may contain more than 59 hazardous substances, including carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxins, and endocrine disruptors, which can be inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through skin contact.
• There is a significant regulatory gap in the EU: only 4 of the 59 identified hazardous substances are banned, 6 are on the candidate list for ban, and no more than 12 are restricted.
• Recycled materials are subject to a 'double standard' where they are not always held to the same health standards as new materials; for example, the flame retardant pentaBDE has a concentration limit of 0.001% w/w for new material but 0.1% w/w for recycled material.
• Hazardous substances create technical barriers to the circular economy by negatively impacting the quality of recycled end-materials and the cost-effectiveness of mechanical recycling.
• Environmental contamination occurs primarily during the water-intensive production process and through the leaching of toxics from carpets in landfills into watercourses.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (n.d.). Tapijt detoxen. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/DUTCH-DETOXING-CARPET-PATHWAYS-TOWARDS-SAFE-AND-RECYCLABLE-CARPET.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. Tapijt detoxen. n.d. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/DUTCH-DETOXING-CARPET-PATHWAYS-TOWARDS-SAFE-AND-RECYCLABLE-CARPET.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=Tapijt detoxen |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/DUTCH-DETOXING-CARPET-PATHWAYS-TOWARDS-SAFE-AND-RECYCLABLE-CARPET.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{changingmarketsfoundationndtapijt, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{Tapijt detoxen}}, institution = {Changing Markets Foundation}, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/DUTCH-DETOXING-CARPET-PATHWAYS-TOWARDS-SAFE-AND-RECYCLABLE-CARPET.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }