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Textile collection & recovery trial

Clothing and apparel represent approximately 6% of the content found in the general waste bin of Waverley Council residents. When textile waste ends up in landfill, it creates greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

By rehoming textiles, we can preserve our environment and help communities in need.

Did you know?

• It can take up to 2,700L of water to produce one tee shirt (source ACTAThis external link will open in a new window)
• Annual CO2 emissions from textiles is 1.2 Billion tonnes, more than emissions from all international flights and maritime shipping combined! (source ACTAThis external link will open in a new window)
• Between 500,000 & 800,000 tonnes of textiles are disposed of in Australia’s landfills annually. (source ACTAThis external link will open in a new window)
• Extending the life of clothing by just nine months would reduce carbon, water, and waste footprint by 20-30%. (source)This external link will open in a new window

About the trial

Since July 2019, Waverley Council is trialling a Textile Collection and Recovery Program by working with a partner to collect and recover clothing and shoes in good condition in selected apartment buildings.

As of June 2022, the trial has diverted 19 tonnes of textiles from landfill.

How does the trial work?

After a site assessment, textile collection bins are placed in a a designated storage area of apartment buildings with approximately 30 or more units. Residents can responsibly dispose of unwanted textiles (i.e. such as clothing, coats/jackets, socks, scarves, hats, ties, and shoes). Each month, a service provider collects the materials from the buildings and reports the tonnage of textiles reused/repurposed.

What happens to clothes once they are collected?

100% of what is collected is diverted from landfill. 70% can be reused in local and global communities, 15% is recycled into wiper rags and the remaining 15% is converted into biofuels.

Is your building eligible?

We are working with apartment buildings with more than 30 units to pilot this program (smaller buildings will be considered on a case-by-case basis). Participation is subject to a site assessment by the service provider to ensure there is enough space to store the bins and access them for servicing.

There is currently no cost to the building to participate in this trial, however, the building manager must commit to 12-month participation in the program and agree to the terms and conditions of the service provider.

Register your interest

Please email environment@waverley.nsw.gov.au, including the building address, number of apartments and main point of contact.

This project is a NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Waste Less Recycle More initiative.