Spring is a popular time for a traditional de-clutter and there are lots of ways to make it an efficient and worthwhile task.
We have previously shared the benefits of donating to charity shops and making savvy buys, but let’s not forget the handy kerbside textile recycling services that Ealing Council offers.
Your cast- offs can be recycled as part of your kerbside collections, on your normal recycling day – just make sure you put them in a clear, secure bag on top of your blue bin. Keep the bags dry and alongside each other and tie any pairs of shoes together. Recycling left in black rubbish bags will not be collected.
There are other great ways you can recycle your unwanted items too. The council also works closely with TRAID, a charity that provides free home collections to Ealing residents. TRAID will collect your unwanted textiles, clothes and shoes, and small Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) items. You can contact them to book a collection.
Councillor Deirdre Costigan, deputy leader and member for climate action, said: “We try our hardest to make it as easy as possible for residents to recycle. It is so important to take steps to prevent any rubbish, including old clothes, going to landfill. This is why we are offering residents a range of different ways to recycle old clothes which is all part of our commitment to tackling the climate emergency.”
Residents can also take unwanted cast-offs to a textile collections bin. You can find your nearest one online, or additionally you could take your textile recycling to the re-use and recycling centre at Greenford. But, remember, you still need to book a slot to visit.
Shoes, bags, belts, socks and underwear can also be recycled as part of your kerbside collection. Textile banks also take clothing, blankets and linens, old tea towels, and towels.
What happens to my unwanted textiles?
This old clothing is taken away and sorted into different grades, according to its condition. It is then either sent to be reused or recycled into different products. Items not suitable for re-use will be recycled into new materials that could be used in the automotive, furniture and housing industries.
It is calculated that recovering and recycling just 10% of the waste currently sent to landfill in the UK could generate savings of around £23.8million a year, which would not only help our economy but the environment too. Last year alone, Ealing Council collected more than 11,000 kgs of textile recycling, the equivalent to saving 105 tonnes in CO2 emissions.
For more handy advice and tips to recycle clothes, check the Love Your Clothes website.
