By utilizing recovered polyvinyl butyral in the production of carpet backcoatings, the amount of waste polyvinyl butyral that is landfilled or otherwise disposed of is significantly reduced, as is the need for manufacturing polyvinyl butyral. The recovered polyvinyl butyral is size reduced and then utilized by itself or with other ingredients to provide a composite used in the manufacture of a useful product (like carpet backing), and then the composite material is used to make the useful product (such as carpet backing, which is used as a primary or secondary backcoating in the manufacture of new carpeting or as a precoat, main back coat or combination precoat/main back coat in the manufacture of new carpet tile). In addition, waste carpet may optionally be used with the recovered polyvinyl butyral as a filler material; thus, further reducing the amount of waste that is landfilled or incinerated.