Textile collection coming in June
More than 11,000 tonnes of textiles are discarded annually in the County of Simcoe and 85 cent of it ends up in a landfill.
As a waste diversion technique, County of Simcoe is introducing a new curbside collection program for to keep textiles, which take a very long time to decompose, out of landfills.
Residents will receive one textile collection this June. All Simcoe County households are not receive a collection bag through Canada Post. Any additional clothing can be placed in a clear plastic bag and set beside the textile bag provided. Bags must be sealed, textiles must be clean, dry and odour free.
“Look for your pink collection bag in the mail and help us recycle textiles and keep these materials out of our landfills,” said Warden Gerry Marshall. “We’ve experienced tremendous participation rates with our curbside battery collection program and we’re hopeful this convenient new option will have similar results.”
Accepted textile materials include: Used clean clothing and undergarments; Towels and linens (pillows); Coats and outerwear; Hats, belts and scarves; Purses, backpacks, sleeping bags and luggage; Socks, mittens and shoes in pairs (wrap with elastic to hold together).
The County encourages residents to donate usable clothing and apparel whenever possible. The purpose of this program is to collect textiles that wouldn’t otherwise be passed on, including those items with stains, tears and broken zippers. All textiles being collected will be sent to a facility for sorting and grading and then re-used. Those items not re-usable are made into rags and acoustic fill.
Half of the County will receive pick-up June 11-15 (Zone 1) and the other half receiving pick-up June 18-22 (Zone 2). Creemore is located in Zone 1. Visit www.simcoe.ca/textilecollection or check out your Waste Calendar to determine your collection week. Similar to Leaf and Yard Waste collection, pick-up does not necessarily coincide with your regular collection day. Items should be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. on the Monday of your collection week.
A new curbside collection program for electronics will also run in September. Visit www.simcoe.ca/electronicscollection for details.
