AUGUSTA, GA.—No matter how much upkeep they are given, machines will inevitably break and need repairs. Such is the case with Shaw Industries’ Evergreen Recycling plant here.

Last month, the nylon 6 recycling facility needed to be temporarily shut down in order to repair processing equipment. John Bradshaw, Shaw’s environmental marketing manager, said Evergreen is expected to be back to full production later this month.

“In manufacturing processes,” he told FCNews, “it is completely normal for equipment to break. The breakage occurred during normal operations of the facility. There was no risk or injuries to employees. Shaw is continuously maintaining our facilities in order to promote safety and excellence at all times.”

Recognizing the potential problems this stoppage could bring to the company’s reclamation programs as well as the industry’s Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE), he said when the shutdown occurred, Shaw contacted “our recycling partners within the collection network. The vast majority of our customers will not be impacted by this issue,” and “no one was asked to withhold all shipments.”

Frank Hurd, CARE’s chairman, noted, “Shaw its committed to minimize the impact to its collection network.”

Bradshaw added the stoppage will also have “no affect on the amount of recycled content in Shaw’s Anso nylon products. Shaw is optimistic this brief maintenance shut down will have minimal affect on the company’s and industry’s overall recycling goals. The company’s environmental guarantee and commercial collection process both continue to be fully operational.”

He noted, Shaw is the country’s largest recycler of post-consumer carpet and has collected and recycled over 100 million pounds at the Evergreen plant. “Shaw is committed to the company’s green promise and we look forward to further expanding our recycling processes.”