Editor's note: This program does not include City of Barrie residents.
That floral shirt with 80s shoulder pads in your closet, or the stained, old towels in your cupboard can have a new life in the coming weeks during Simcoe County’s second annual curbside clothing collection program.
During the weeks of June 17 and June 24, county residents can put old clothing, towels, linens, and even large scraps of fabric into clear, plastic bags to get carted away to be recycled.
Last year, the county collected 107 tonnes of used clothing and packed it into 11 tractor-trailers that drove it to a facility to be sorted, said Willma Bureau, contracts and collections supervisor for the county.
“We’d certainly like to exceed that,” she said, adding 85 per cent of unwanted textiles get thrown in the trash. “It’s going to be done on your regular (garbage) collection day.”
County residents (except in Barrie and Orillia) should have already received clear, pink plastic bags in the mail, but they can use other clear plastic bags if needed.
The items inside the bags must be clean and dry, with the bags securely closed, Bureau said, adding it is OK if items are torn or stained as long as they are clean.
Once the items are sorted, they can be recycled for several different uses — from being turned into rags, to sent to thrift stores locally and around the world, or sent to facilities to be turned into things like acoustic sound barriers for equestrian footing, Bureau said.
The county has a contract with a processor that can even sort the items based on where they would be most needed.
For example, a thrift store in Brazil might want high heels, but one in Africa might want more practical footwear, she said.
“We seemed to get a pretty decent quantity of material (last year),” Bureau said. “We’re really hoping it’s a success again this year. We want to give people a convenient way … to recycle.”
For more information on which week your clothing collection program is taking place, visit the county’s website or download the Simcoe County Collects app.
MORE DETAILS:
Bags must be on the curb by 7 a.m. on collection day and weigh less than 20 kilograms.
Items must be clean, dry and odour free.
ACCEPTABLE ITEMS:
- Clean clothing including torn, unfashionable, stained, and missing buttons or broken zippers
- Towels, linens and pillows
- Coats and outerwear
- Hats, belts and scarves
- Purses, backpacks, sleeping bags and luggage
- Shoes, socks and mittens in pairs (wrap with elastic to hold together)
UNACCEPTABLE ITEMS:
- Damp, wet or dirty items
- Single shoes or socks
- Small fabric scraps
- Garbage
