November 15 is America Recycles Day and we want you to be a part of the solution.
Over 25 billion pounds of textiles are thrown away annually in the United States. In Connecticut, we dispose of over 96,000 tons of textiles (81 lbs. pp/annually) annually in our waste-to-energy facilities, costing Connecticut municipalities and taxpayers nearly $5.7 million in additional disposal and tipping fees – and adding to our greenhouse gas emissions.
With Connecticut already facing a solid waste crisis and traditional waste disposal options limited, alternative, cost-effective, sustainable, and equitable solutions to our waste crisis are more important than ever.
How do we move from a throwaway economy to a circular economy, where we minimize waste, prevent greenhouse gas emissions, and keep usable materials in the economy?
One solution is textile recycling.
What is the Circular Economy?
CRCOG has partnered with organizations like Bay State Textiles to tailor textile recycling programs to meet your community’s needs. From donation collection bins to school box programs, curbside collection, and collection events, footwear, accessories, clothing, linens, stuffed animals, handbags, and more can be recycled, reused, and turned into money for your municipality. Towns that recycle textiles with Bay State Textiles receive up to $120/ton for collected textiles.
With over 40 years of experience in post-consumer textile waste recycling, Bay State Textiles serves over 180 municipalities in Connecticut and Massachusetts and continues to expand its programs and services.
Collected textiles are sorted into different grades and types of materials, from reusable, resalable goods, or recyclable to non-usable goods. According to SMART, almost half (45%) of collected textiles are sold and reused as secondhand apparel, 30% of materials are remade into wiping and polishing cloths, and 20% are reprocessed into fiber materials.
For more information on textile recycling programs available to your municipalities, please contact Robyn Nichols, CRCOG’s principal program manager at CRCOG at rnichols@crcog.org.
