Marlborough Launches Textile Recycling Pilot Program

A pilot program for recycling textiles has been announced by the mayor of Marlborough, Arthur Vigeant, and the city’s department of public works.

This program will be in conjunction with Planet Aid, which has contracted with the state to facilitate keeping textiles out of landfills. The Department of Public Works parking lot at 135 Neil St. will be home to its distinctive yellow bin.

You can donate shirts, pants, jackets, suits, gloves, socks, underwear, handbags, and backpacks in any style, age, or condition.

Household textiles include curtains, drapes, sheets, blankets, comforters, towels, linens, pillows, and rugs.

Shoes, sandals, sneakers, cleats, boots, flip-flops, and slippers types of footwear are all acceptable.

Items that are moldy or wet or that contain hazardous materials are not permitted.

Nearly 230,000 tons of usable textiles are thrown away annually in Massachusetts, according to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. 95 percent of this material can be turned into rags, cloth, or other materials that can be used for clothing or other purposes.

According to the mayor’s office, there are many advantages to textile recycling, including a decrease in the quantity of waste disposed of in landfills or burned in municipal waste combustors, which lowers the cost of disposal for local governments. Through nonprofit organizations or for-profit exporters, many donated textiles are sold as used clothing.

Retail stores that sell donated clothing and household goods are run by organizations like Goodwill and the Salvation Army.

Reference: www.communityadvocate.com