TEXTILE RECYCLING BEGINNING NOV. 1, 2022

Massachusetts residents throw away approximately 230,000 tons of clothing, shoes, blankets, sheets, towels and other textiles annually, when over 90% of this material can instead be reused or recycled. For this reason the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection is initiating a waste ban on textile disposal in the trash effective November 1, 2022. This means residents will need to bag up their unwanted clothing and other textiles and take them to a textile collection box or drop-off site. 

About 45% of donated textiles are reused and sold as second hand apparel, either in the U.S. or overseas. Another 30% are converted into industrial wiping cloths, and 20% is remanufactured into products such as carpet padding, insulation and soundproofing material. The final 5% are thrown away because it is wet, mildewed, or otherwise contaminated.

Textiles are defined in the waste ban as "clothing, footwear, bedding, towels, curtains, fabric, and similar items. Even textiles that are worn out, torn and stained have value (really!). They just need to be clean and dry. Only those contaminated with mold, bodily fluids, insects, oil or hazardous substances" should be thrown in the trash.

Questions? Email:  [email protected]