In an effort to reduce the over 200,000 tons of clothing and textiles thrown away by New York City residents each year, the Department of Sanitation (DSNY), is piloting a curbside collection program for a one-time pick-up of a variety of items—with Community Board 11 chosen as the Brooklyn nabe to test out the program.
Residents of Bath Beach, Bensonhurst, Gravesend and Mapleton can put out clothing, shoes (pairs only), accessories, handbags, wallets, computer cases, gently-used linens, bedding, towels, curtains and clean rags for collection on their designated recycling day during the week of October 26.
Neighborhoods selected for the program will receive a notice, specially marked pink-colored bags, and instructions on how to participate in the mail.
“Each year, city residents throw away more than 200,000 tons of clothing and textiles,” said Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia. “This trial illustrates our continuing efforts to find innovative ways of recycling the most common materials found in our waste stream. Textiles make up about six percent of our waste. Recycling and reusing this material will help the city reach its goal of zero waste to landfills by 2030.”
According to DSNY, the districts chosen for the pilot program—Arden Heights, Tottenville, Huguenot and New Dorp in Staten Island (Community Board 3); Riverdale and Fieldston in the Bronx (Community Board 8); Bayside, Auburndale, Oakland Gardens, Douglaston and Little Neck in Queens (Community Board 11); and Brooklyn’s CB 11, demonstrated a high percentage of single-family homes with limited access to drop-off locations. After the collection, DSNY will bring all donated items to Goodwill.
More than 210,000 households will be able to participate in the city-wide pilot program, according to DSNY, and, after the collections, the viability of the program will be evaluated.
For more information, visit on.nyc.gov/textile-collection-pilot.