Recycle Your Textiles

The Boxford Recycling Center, 7 Spofford Road, has textile recovery bins open every Saturday from 8 AM to 3:30 PM. All donations must be clean and dry, not contaminated with mold, bodily fluids, insects, oil or hazardous substances.

As of November 1, 2022, MA residents and businesses can no longer throw clothing and textiles in the trash. This means residents will need to bag up their unwanted clothing, towels and sheets and bring them to a textile drop off site.

Textiles are defined in the waste ban as “clothing, footwear, bedding, towels, curtains, fabric, and similar products”. Even textiles that are worn, torn and stained have value.

Textile reuse and recycling has the second highest potential environmental impact on reducing greenhouse gasses compared to other recyclables.

About 45% of donated textiles are reused and sold as secondhand apparel, either in the U.S. or abroad. Another 30% is converted into industrial wiping cloths, and 20% is remanufactured into products like carpet padding, insulation, or sound-proofing material. The final 5% is thrown away because it is wet/mildewed, or otherwise unsuitable for reuse.