FAIRFIELD — The Kennebec Valley Council of Governments has announced that it will begin a textile recycling program in Kennebec and Somerset counties.
Through a partnership with Apparel Impact, a textile recovery and recycling company based in Portsmouth, N.H., KVCOG began the implementation of 12 new collection points in nine communities Aug. 10. The collection points are being provided to KVCOG’s communities at no cost, and will be maintained by Apparel Impact.
At the collection points, the public may drop off unwanted textile items at no cost. Clothing, bedding, towels, bags, purses, shoes, hats and more can all be placed within the collection bins and therefore be kept out of the local landfill.
“Apparel Impact then collects these items and ensures that items in usable condition are donated to those in need right here in northern New England,” said KVCOG Environmental Planner Gabriel Gauvin. “Rather than sending these items into the waste stream, Apparel Impact ensures unusable items are recycled, becoming a textile commodity which can be made into usable fiber and return to the manufacturing supply chain.”
Collection points will be in Athens, Chelsea, Fayette, Hartland, Madison, Pittsfield, Skowhegan, Wayne and Winslow. An interactive map showing all 20-plus collection points in KVCOG’s region is available on the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments website, www.kvcog.org. A full list of every Apparel Impact collection point is also available on the company’s website.
“This partnership with Apparel Impact comes at a good time for our region,” said KVCOG Executive Director Laura Cyr. “At a time when many towns are working to balance a budget impacted by the effects of COVID-19, a program like this can truly help to lighten the load.”
Textiles make up close to 6 percent of the average municipal waste stream and translates to tens of millions of tons in the waste stream every year in the United States alone. Even the most rural communities add hundreds of tons of textiles into their waste stream yearly. By removing these items from our everyday trash, we save space in the landfill, reduce environmental risks, and save taxpayer dollars. Furthermore, partnering with a company such as Apparel Impact ensures these items will benefit those in need or be recycled into usable materials.
