The Environmental Impact of Textile Recycling
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates 6.5% of all materials going into landfills and/or municipal incinerators are clothing and textile products that could have been recycled and that, currently, two million tons of clothing are recycled annually. That compares to 19.3 million tons of yard trimmings, 3.17 million tons of glass, 2.65 million tons of plastics and 0.72 million tons of aluminum. We can all make a greater environmental impact through textile recycling.
Many large organizations, such as Goodwill Industries, Salvation Army, and others, bale textiles and clothing for re-use at their thrift stores or to ship outside the United States. Smaller textile recycling programs, like TWD Inc (Textile Waste Diversion) of Ontario, Canada are also making a big impact in reducing textile waste while helping people both locally and in developing nations who are in need of clothing (read the Textile Waste Diversion story here).
Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART) Speaks Up
More clothing can be donated or recycled, even if it is torn or stained, according to a recent press release “Clothing and Textile Recycling Has Major Impact on Reducing Greenhouse Gasses According to EPA and S.M.A.R.T.” Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART) also states that all clothing, as long as it is dry and odor-free, can be recycled. SMART encourages everyone to think twice before putting a piece of clothing into the garbage.
“When comparing the amount of materials recycled to the overall impact on the environment, it is clear clothing and textiles needs to become a top-of-mind recyclable just like aluminum, plastic, glass, and paper.”
– Jackie King, Executive Director, SMART
Baling is a very important process in textile recycling, since it keeps the clothing free from infestations, organized, easy to handle, and transport. Harmony Enterprises manufacturers clothing and textile balers that are strong, durable, and efficient. These innovative machines come in a variety of styles and loading configurations to adapt to any business application.
These textile balers come in all shapes and sizes. Some can be manually loaded through the front loading door, while others are conveyor fed automatically to the top rear of a baler to be automatically cycled until the bale chamber is full.
Talk to our experienced sales team about which of these long lasting recycling machines are right for the volume, space, and labor you have available to recycle your textiles.
For more information on the balers for textiles and clothing, please contact Harmony Enterprises at (507) 886-6666.
