The city of Lynn is seeking to reduce textile waste by educating residents on the topic, and encouraging them to recycle clothes and other items. “Textiles include items such as bedding, undergarments, coats, table linen, purses, clothing, curtains, towels, footwear and fabrics,” Department of Public Works Associate Commissioner Lisa Nerich said. “Textiles can be reused, repurposed or recycled. Even textile items that are worn, torn, or stained can be recycled.”
In April, the city’s initiative spurred residents to divert 170 pounds of clothes from trash, after they diverted 118 pounds in March. This recycling initiative in Lynn came after the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection added textiles to its list of prohibited items that can not be disposed of through landfills and incinerators, she said. “We knew we needed to make a change,” Nerich said. “We quickly saw the benefits of educating residents on how they can divert their textiles from the waste stream.”
Recently, the city partnered with Helpsy, a textile-collection company, to work on recycling clothes. The contract between the city and Helpsy is revenue-generating, Helpsy Chief of Staff Lisa Sciannella said. “We pay per pound of textiles that we collect, which is great, and then we’re also saving them on waste disposal tipping fees, by keeping the clothes out of the trash,” Sciannella said. “Municipalities are no longer paying those waste-disposal fees.”
To read the full story, visit https://www.itemlive.com/2023/05/12/trash-to-treasure-lynn-launches-textile-recycling-program/#.
Author: Emily Pails, ItemLive.com
Image: Libby O’Neil, ItemLive.com