Beginning August 19, 2019 Malden residents will be able to recycle unwanted textiles and small household items simply by bagging them and leaving them at the curb on their regular trash/recycling collection day. Malden is providing the free new service in partnership with Simple Recycling.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), more than 84% of old clothes, shoes, belts, handbags, and textile items end up in a landfill or an incinerator. On average, that works out to about 85 pounds of textile items per person each year. As a result, textiles make up more than 6% of all the residential and municipal trash in the US.
The City of Malden has partnered with Simple Recycling to help change that locally. The company provides free curbside collection and recycling of unwanted textiles and housewares to communities across the United States. Currently, Simple Recycling serves nearly two million households across eight states. In the weeks before the program’s August 19th launch date, Simple Recycling will send informational mailers to homes that receive recycling collection in Malden. The mailers will contain free Simple Recycling bags which will be used for your first collection. After it is collected, they will leave an empty bag for you to use for your next collection.
When cleaning out closets or disposing of unwanted items, residents may place them in the bags. If a resident doesn’t have enough bags, it is permissible to use regular trash bags that are clearly marked for Simple Recycling. Residents may then place the bags curbside on their normal trash/recycling collection day. Simple Recycling’s trucks will pick them up, free of charge and leave a replacement bag for the next collection.
The company will accept a wide range of used textiles and small household items. The list of accepted items includes all types of used or new clothing, boots and shoes, belts and ties, handbags, hats and gloves, toys, towels, sheets and blankets, small kitchen appliances, and more.
The Simple Recycling service is not meant to compete with local charities. Its purpose is to provide a convenient curbside collection option for residents who want it. Ultimately, it’s about keeping those items out of the trash.
For more information about the program, residents may visit www.cityofmalden.org/textiles.