Beginning on July 15, Granby residents will be able to recycle unwanted textiles and small household items simply by bagging them and leaving them at the curb on their regular recycling collection day. Granby is providing the new service in partnership with Simple Recycling. The service is free to residents and the town.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), more than 84 percent of old clothes, shoes, belts, handbags, and textile items end up in a landfill or an incinerator. On average, that works out to about 85 lbs. per person each year. As a result, textiles make up more than 6 percent of all the residential and municipal trash in the U.S.
Solon, Ohio-based Simple Recycling (simplerecycling.com) aims to change all that. The company provides free curbside collection and recycling of unwanted textiles and housewares to communities across the United States. Currently, Simple Recycling serves nearly four million households across eight states, and will soon be serving residents here in Granby.
In the weeks before the program’s July 15 launch date, Simple Recycling will send informational mailers to homes that receive residential recycling collection from Granby. The mailers will contain free Simple Recycling bags.
When cleaning out closets or disposing of unwanted items, residents can place them in the bags. If a resident doesn’t have enough bags, then it’s OK to use regular trash bags that are clearly marked for Simple Recycling. Residents can then place the bags at the curb on their normal recycling collection day. Simple Recycling’s trucks will pick them up, free of charge.
The company will accept a wide range of used textiles and small household items. The list of accepted items includes all types of used or new clothing, boots and shoes, belts and ties, handbags, hats and gloves, toys, towels, sheets and blankets, small kitchen appliances, and more.
The Simple Recycling service is not meant to compete with local charities. Its purpose is to provide a convenient curbside collection option for residents who want it. Ultimately, it’s about keeping those items out of the trash.
For more information about the Simple Recycling program, residents can call Public Works at 860-653-8960.