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Textile Recycling – where does it go?
Carol Slaughter, Waste Technician Region of Durham’s Works Dept.
November 2015
HANDOUT – Item 4. B)
Best Recycling Options
• Put into a “Charity” box
• Drop off at thrift store
• Drop off at Region’s Reuse Days who partner with charitable operated thrift stores
“Charity” Box • Clothing bins are located
throughout the Region • Majority of the bins in the Region
are not owned by a registered charity
• Private companies pay a % (<15%) to use the charitable name but are “for profit”
• Items are sorted, graded and exported the surplus garments - converting what began as donations into tradable goods.
• Non-saleable items go to the rag buyers market
Thrift stores
• Value Village – receive donations and contract with charities (CDA) who are paid by the pound.
• Salvation Army and Goodwill Thrift Stores – owned and run by the charity to support their programs
• Private Consignment Stores – (eg. Second Time Around) take clothes for resale from residents who are paid once the item sold
Where do things go if they don’t sell?
RAG BUYERS MARKET
When waste has value, it stops being waste
• “Rag buyers” are textile buyers who pay < $1/ pound for textiles
• Scraps of textiles, including old socks, scraps of fabric and stained clothing are considered valuable and are sorted and baled by type (cotton, polyester, etc.)
• Scraps are shredded by recyclers for use in the seats of cars, insulation and other consumer products.
Shoddy
Information update
• Durham.ca/waste changes to website – Added to knowbeforeyouthrow – Updated section to Reusable Goods Page
• Reuse article to be done in 2016 • Added information for ReUse Days
Summary: • There are no publicly funded programs, or
industry led “extended producer responsibility initiative” for textiles.
• For-profit enterprises minimize textile waste. No matter who handles used and donated clothing, all of it travels through commercial channels.
• Investment, revenue, expense and profit drive textile waste markets. Revenue and profit are the financial resources that get the work done while supporting charitable and community organizations.
