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Section 17.II.ETextiles Recycling in NYC |
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The average New Yorker throws about 46 pounds
of clothing and textiles in the trash each year, which adds up to 193,000
tons of textiles at a cost to NYC taxpayers and our environment. Textiles
comprise 6 percent of our entire residential waste, and they normally
go into the landfills. However, thousands of New Yorkers have already
recycled more than 950,000 pounds of unwanted clothing, linens, paired
shoes, bags and more through GrowNYC's textile recycling initiative.
Textiles can be dropped off weekly at eight select Greenmarkets: 97th Street, Union Square (Mon and Sat only), Grand Army Plaza, Fort Greene, McCarren Park, Inwood, Tompkins Square and Jackson Heights. ( See "Green Markets" section for addresses and locations). New Yorkers can bring clean clothing, paired shoes, bedding, linens, hats, handbags, belts and other textiles. The materials are sorted into different grades like usable/non-usable, cotton scrap, cotton blend scrap and synthetics. They are then sold for reuse as clothing and linens, or to recycling markets that turn them into wiping rags, fiber for car seats and insulation. Since textiles recycling program directly benefits the Council on the Environment, Inc., the contributions are tax deductible! To make things even easier, Wearable Collections can even arrange a home pick up in some situations. The items can also be contributed to the Salvation Army at various locations around the city. All receipts will qualify the doner for a tax deduction. Also, NYC law requires businesses to recycle textiles if they comprise more than 10 percent of the company's total waste stream. |
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