This cache is part of a series by Girl Scout Troop 70007 exploring local infrastructure. This cache brings you to a textile collection point in Cambridge.
You are standing next to a standard fabric recycling bin. This location highlights a significant shift in Massachusetts waste management history. In November 2022, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection introduced a new waste ban regulation. This regulation classified textiles as a prohibited item for disposal in standard trash/landfill streams. As a result, residents in Cambridge and across the state now utilize collection points like this one for clothing disposal.
What happens when you put old textiles in this bin?
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Resale: Approximately 10-20% of collected items are sold domestically in thrift stores.
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Export: Wearable items that are not sold locally are often baled and exported to international markets.
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Reprocessing (Shoddy): Items graded as "unwearable" (stained or torn) are mechanically shredded into a fibrous fluff known as "shoddy." This material is used industrially for automotive insulation or carpet padding. Next time you go for a drive, consider you might be sitting on our old socks!
These bins must fit a lot of clothes! But where could they fit that cache... Happy hunting!