Life after the thrift shop
How it works:
Stonington’s successful “Pink Bag” program was started in 2020 in partnership with Simple Recycling. The Town’s agreement with Simple Recycling is at no cost to the Town or residents. Simple Recycling pays a nominal handling fee to the hauler who collects the bags curbside on your regularly scheduled trash pick-up day. After the pink bags are picked up by the recycling company, they are sorted by grade. Donations that are in good condition are offered to larger reuse organizations such as Goodwill and Savers for compensation. Mid-grade materials are exported to international markets and unusable items are processed for new materials. These items are sorted by material and color, shredded into raw fibers, thoroughly cleaned, re-spun into new textiles, and reused to make rags, garments, insulation, and a variety of other products.
Why is textile waste a problem?
In the U.S. alone, 14.5 million tons of textile waste is incinerated or sent to landfills every year, and that figure is rising. While natural fibers may take only 6 to 12 months to break down in landfills, synthetic fibers such as nylon and polyester can take hundreds of years. The textile recycling rate is currently one of the lowest compared to other materials, but these items can be given a brand-new life if recycled! By recycling your textiles you are helping to minimize the forces that contribute to climate change.
A simple solution
Whether donating your clothes for continued use or recycling in your pink bag, less resources, both monetary and environmental, are wasted in making fiber for new ones. Did you know the water footprint of one pound of cotton is 1,320 gallons? That equates to over 650 gallons of water for one new cotton t-shirt! Textile production requires significant amounts of water, chemicals, energy and other natural resources. A Simple way to combat textiles’ impact on Earth is to recycle instead of throwing out clothing.
The Town of Stonington strongly supports donating your gently worn clothing to local thrift shops and organizations such as the Stonington Community Center Thrift Shop or the Johnnycake Center and The Blue Mitten in Westerly as a first option. Our Transfer Station also has Goodwill boxes available to collect donations. How can you participate in textile recycling? Pick up free Simple Recycling pink bags at the Stonington Town Hall, Solid Waste Dept at 152 Elm Street or at the Stonington Transfer Station located at 151 Greenhaven Road.
Recyclable items you may put in your bag are:
Clothing: Shirts, pants, jackets, hats, ties, gloves, scarves, socks, undergarments, handbags and backpacks. Footwear: Shoes, sandals, sneakers, cleats, boots, flip-flops, and slippers. Household Textiles: Curtains, drapes, sheets, blankets, comforters, towels, table linens, throw rugs, pillows and stuffed animals. Place your pink bag out on the curb on your regularly scheduled trash pick up day and you’re done!
Last year Stonington residents donated over 30 tons of textiles through this program! Thank you to all of you who are doing your part in recycling. With your continued support, we may be able to increase our recycle rates even further. If you have any questions on the Pink Bag Program, please give us a call at the Town Hall Solid Waste Dept (860) 535-5099.