Social media user discovers award show red carpet in Los Angeles bin

Paige Thalia, a resident of Los Angeles, went for a walk in the city and discovered rolls of red carpets in a skip behind the Dolby Theatre, where the Oscars ceremony was held the previous day. After she published details of her find on social media, it sparked interest in what happens to red carpets after award ceremonies.

Around 50,000 sq ft of red carpet is laid for the Oscars ceremony. While some of this carpet is recycled, as Paige discovered, some is discarded.

According to a report in The Guardian, many award events do have policies against single-use carpets. The organisers of the Golden Globe Awards are committed to reusing their carpets. The Baftas use recycled carpets at their award ceremonies.

If the Oscar organisers continue to use single-use carpets, after Paige publicised her find on TikTok, it is thought that many people will try their luck at the Dolby Theatre after the Oscars in the future.

Paige Thalia reported that she took home some of the Oscar red carpet she found in a bin for her living room, but realised it was of poor quality. Although it could be reused at other award ceremonies, it would have a limited lifespan.

If you use carpets in a Chester home or business, choose high-quality ones, as they will last for many years. When they are worn out, the most sustainable course of action is to recycle them so they don't end up in a landfill site.