America Recycles Day: November 15th
Posted on November 13 2022
November 15th is America Recycles Day (also known as National Recycling Day).
This is the only nationally-recognized day dedicated to recycling. Organizations and government agencies all across the country organize events for all of us to participate in recycling, learn where and how to properly recycle, pledge to recycle more and recycle correctly everyday.
Successful recycling in communities and businesses throughout the United States helps to save resources and create jobs. The benefits of recycling also include reducing landfill waste, conserving natural resources like forests, and less pollution of oceans and air.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the recycling rate increased from less than 7% in 1960 to 32% in 2018. In 2020, the EPA announced the National Recycling Goal of 50% by 2030.
In 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency also reported that the recycling rate for textiles is less than half that of other materials. The recycling rate for textiles was 14.7% or 2.5 million tons. The other 14.5 million tons were either combusted or sent to landfills. By comparison, the recycling rate for aluminum was 34.9%, and the recycling rate for glass was 31.3%.
All of us should do more to increase textile recycling. If garments are not in good condition to donate then recycle instead of throwing them away where they end up in landfill. Natural fibers take a year or more to decompose while releasing greenhouse gasses into the air and synthetic fibers do not decompose or take hundreds of years and can release toxic substances in the ground and water.
By recycling, used clothing and textile items are turned into carpet padding as well as filling for auto, pet beds or toys and pillows, insulation, and baseballs.
Another option is to reuse and repurpose old textiles yourself which is even better than recycling because it avoids additional use of water and energy for recycling.
Currently, there are few curbside pick-up or town textile recycling programs. Although you may not be able to toss used fabrics into a bin for local recycling, it is possible to take or send them to a recycler or donation location that will do this. Search online for textile recycling drop centers near where you live, retail stores that accept clothing for recycling and online recycling programs that have ways to ship your textiles to them for recycling.
Recycle all year long, not only on America Recycles Day!
Resources:
-https://www.treehugger.com/textile-recycling-5203438
-https://www.greenmatters.com/p/textile-recycling-near-me
-https://kab.org/programs/ard/
-https://nationaltoday.com/america-recycles-day/
-https://www.epa.gov/recyclingstrategy/america-recycles-day
-https://www.epa.gov/recyclingstrategy/us-national-recycling-goal
