Holliston Expands Textile Recycling Program for Earth Day
Efforts Help Residents Prepare for New Recycling Regulations This Fall
To help celebrate Earth Day 2022, two new sites are opening for residents to participate in the Town of Holliston’s Textile Recycling Program. Beginning April 1, 2022, collection containers will be available to the public in the parking lot at the Senior Center, 150 Goulding Street, and in the upper parking lot at 1750 Washington Street.
Residents are encouraged to donate used or new clothing, linen and footwear at these new locations that are available around the clock, or at the textile containers at the Town’s Recycle Center on Saturdays. A more complete list of acceptable items can be found at:
https://www.townofholliston.us/sustainability/pages/textile-recycling-program
Select Board Chairperson Tina Hein said, “We are pleased to expand a program that promotes reuse, helps reduce the Town’s waste disposal costs and provides funding for important programs.” She added, “Recycling textiles is a great way for residents to participate in a sustainable program and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions”.
Holliston is taking a proactive approach to introduce additional collection containers as it anticipates for new regulations requiring textile recycling in the fall. According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), textiles are one of the major items of value that are still being discarded and burnt with trash. As a result, beginning November 1, 2022, the DEP is adding textiles to their list of household items that are banned from trash disposal.
2 Comments
While I appreciate that the Textiles collection is active, how is this going to impact those groups who currently collect used clothing for donation to Savers as part of their annual fundraising events? For them, this is a concerning development as some groups do count on these funds for other initiatives as well.
Additionally, many people are aware that the Holliston Lions Club also collects used winter coats every year for redistribution.
Let’s not overlook these important events when you’re considering whether to drop items in a collection box!
I completely agree that we should continue to fully support used clothing donations for fundraising efforts!
But there is more than enough to go around. The most recent figures from 2018 show that of the ~17,000 tonnes of generated waste from textiles, only 14.7% is recycled (https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/textiles-material-specific-data#TextilesOverview).
The goal of placing more textile recycling bins around town is to remove more of the remaining 85.3% textile waste from incinerators and landfills. An additional benefit is that as more people realize that textile recycling is a good thing, more people will look for opportunities to donate as well as recycle.
Tina Hein, Chair of Holliston Select Board