Recycling your automobile floor mats, made from a recyclable thermoelastic polymer (TPE), is challenging due to the unique recycling requirements for the materials. Use this guide to recycle or repurpose these mats effectively, treating the landfill as your last, least attractive option.
When we checked a set of WeatherTech mats, the most popular after-market maker of mats, we found they are made with #7 plastic. This resin number covers the myriad forms of plastic invented since the introduction of the numbering system, and it is not widely accepted for recycling in the United States. While the numbers are presented in a recycling chasing arrow symbol, this does not mean they can be recycled near you or at all.
Moreover, the unusual shape and size of floor mats make them very problematic for recycling systems. If your recycler does accept the mats, you may…