Unwanted textiles will be saved from landfill thanks to a recycling initiative Forbes Shire Council has started. Showing its commitment to sustainability, Forbes Shire Council has partnered with Reuse Repurpose Recycle Australia in a 12-month trial to provide recycling bins for textiles at the Forbes Recycling and Waste Depot. While residents are still encouraged to donate textiles to local op shops, the new bins at the waste depot/landfill will mean items not suitable for an op shop, such as damaged clothes can be recycled. RRR Australia runs a program that keeps textiles out of landfill and will collect items placed in the textile recycling bins and reuse, recycle or repurpose them. Good quality items are donated to charities, op shops and shelters to be reused, while items that cannot be reused are recycled and made into items such as blankets, throws, caravan and outdoor mats. Poor quality items are repurposed and donated to the RSPCA, arts and crafts stores for off-cut material to be used, while damaged items are made into industrial rags. All clothing (including damaged items), shoes and boots, blankets, towels, backpacks, handbags and material offcuts can be placed in the textile recycling bins. Items that cannot be recycled include sheets, pillowcases, doonas, pillows and cushions, wet or soiled items and industrially stained items. With the average Australian disposing of 23kg of textiles per year to landfill, Forbes Shire Council Mayor, Phyllis Miller OAM, said this program would save precious landfill space. “Forbes Shire Council is committed to sustainability and this program will help preserve our landfills and ensure textiles stay in the circular economy,” she said. Textiles can be recycled at the Forbes Recycling and Waste Depot during its trading hours, 8:30am – 5pm seven days.
