Recycling of Low Grade Clothing Waste - Oakdene Hollins

© Oakdene Hollins Ltd, Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd
Nonwovens Innovation & Research Institute Ltd September 2006
of low priced clothing entering the market, is likely to deteriorate further as
collection rates increase.
Here it is noted that in Germany, for example, where there is an ecological
tradition and an established textile recycling industry, some 70% of
available textiles are collected. Only 35% of this is suitable for re‐use as
clothing 3 . The equivalent figures for the UK, as calculated in Section 5, are
17% collected, of which 63% is suitable for wearing again.
6.2 Implications for Local Authority Activity
6.2.1 Local Authority Textile Collection Schemes
The majority of the 469 Local Authorities (LAs) in the UK are involved in
some form of textile collection scheme. It is estimated that between 10%
and 15% of these operate, or support, kerbside collection schemes which
include textiles. Discussions were held with a number of LAs who either
operate their own scheme or who work in co‐operation with a scheme run
by a charitable organisation. This established an estimate of the level of
success of kerbside schemes and the potential cost of implementation.
Waltham Forest Council has operated a textile collection scheme since 1998.
The scheme serves 79,000 households and collects 60 tonnes of textiles per
year out of a total of 6,000 tonnes of recyclates. This scheme succeeds
because people who are interested enough to recycle will apply some care:
Householders place textiles in carrier bags to keep them clean and dry.
Bags are placed into separate stillages on the collection vehicle. At the
depot, the bags are transferred to a RORO container which is collected by
the merchants, who currently pay £52 per tonne, regardless of quality.
Kerbside quality is better from outside the M25 than it is from within, a
reflection of the relative affluence of the two districts.
By comparison, the textile banks at the bring sites in the district collected
210 tonnes of textiles in 2004. The Local Authority stated that the merchant
only pays a nominal amount for this tonnage because the overall quality is
poor relative to the kerbside collected material which is believed to be of
good quality.
Sefton Council operates split compartments on ‘Greenbee’ vehicles run by a
commercial contractor. All 123,000 households are covered. Most are given
a Salvation Army bag which is replaced when the collectors pick up a full
bag from the household. Bags are placed in a carrier vehicle at the depot
which is taken away when full. This scheme met with high volumes when
it was introduced but has since fallen back. 116 tonnes of textiles were
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