Halifax considers app in campaign to reduce textile waste
App could connect residents who have used textiles with organizations that collect them
Halifax hopes to create an app that will help residents recycle textiles rather than put them into a garbage bag.
There are number of charities that will pick up textiles, no matter what condition they are in, says the city's solid waste manager Matt Keliher.
"Residents are skeptical of donating a ripped pair of jeans. But they are acceptable and they [charities] do want them," he said at a municipal environment committee meeting Thursday.
An app could facilitate at-home collection through a scheduling function, says a city staff report on options to reduce textiles in the landfill.
The report suggests residents could ask an organization through an app to collect their donation. Or an app could notify residents in certain areas of upcoming collection dates or provide contact information for organizations that provide at-home collection.
Low-cost, low-quality clothing
Right now, textiles make up 8.6 per cent of the waste sent to the Otter Lake landfill. Those items include clothing, footwear, upholstery, curtains, carpets, bedding, stuffed animals and towels.
That's approximately 3,800 tonnes, costing the municipality $475,000 every year.
And that number could increase dramatically in the next couple of decades because of the consumer demand for lower cost, lower quality clothing worn for shorter periods of time to keep up with fashion trends.
An American non-profit organization called the Textile Exchange estimates this trend could see global textile waste increase by 62 per cent by 2030. That would likely be reflected in Halifax as well, the staff report notes.
Keliher says a 'Halifax Recycles' app would be a first step in an ongoing process to keep textiles out of the landfill.
An awareness campaign would also be needed to ensure the program is successful, he said.
Banning textiles from curbside collection
Coun. Lisa Blackburn agrees.
"Education is key because for years I kept really worn items out of my donation bags because I thought if it couldn't be sold, then it wasn't any good," she said. "But they can reuse, recycle everything."
Other municipalities are taking steps to divert textiles away from landfills. In April 2016, Colchester County began curbside collection of clean and dry textiles.
In April 2017, the city of Markham, Ont., became the first municipality in North America to ban textiles from its clear bag garbage collection.
Municipal officials in Halifax say curbside collection changes could not be considered until 2019 when collection contracts expire.