In November 2022, Massachusetts banned textiles from disposal. Textiles include clothing, footwear, bedding, curtains, fabric, and scraps of all sizes that are clean and dry. Even if the textiles are worn, torn, or stained, they can still be donated to a textile recycler.
How was the Project Started?
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) introduced its first bans on landfilling and combustion of easy-to-recycle and toxic materials in 1990. Additional “waste bans” have been phased in over time, with the mattresses and textiles ban added in November 2022.
When was the Project Started?
The ban went into effect on November 1, 2022.
When was the Project Completed, or is it Ongoing?
Ongoing
What are the Results to Date?
MassDEP has been collecting tonnage data from municipalities, and textile recovery vendors since the Textile Waste Ban went into effect. Below is a summary of the data collected from 2024.
TONNAGES RECOVERED BY MUNICIPALITIES: Through the 2024 Municipal Recycling and Solid Waste Survey issued by MassDEP, municipalities across the state report annual program data, including textile recovery. Of the 352 municipalities in MA, 242 reported textile tonnages. These cities and towns reported a total of 8,122 tons collected in 2024, an increase from the 7,989 tons that were reported for 2023.
TONNAGES RECOVERED BY TEXTILE RECOVERY ORGANIZATIONS: MassDEP contacted some of the largest textile recovery organizations operating in Massachusetts to request their annual tonnages collected. This data helps us measure the impacts of the textile waste ban through the progress reported statewide. In 2024, an estimated 50,869 tons of textiles were collected by 18 different vendors in MA. Overall, this was a 9% increase in textile tonnage collected from 2023 to 2024.
View the full fact sheet here.
What are the Resources Needed, including Time, Cost, Etc.?
While collecting textiles for reuse and recycling provides important environmental, social, and economic benefits, it is important that textile collection locations are properly located, overseen and managed. Improperly managed collection locations can result in:
- People dropping off any and all unwanted items, not just textiles – including leaving them on the ground outside containers, creating eyesores and attracting pests; and
- Resident confusion over whether containers are maintained by charitable organizations or for-profit businesses.
Massachusetts communities are working to address these issues through the adoption of local by-laws and regulations. Read more and see examples here.
Contact Information
For more information on MassDEP’s textile recovery work, contact Micaela Guglielmi (micaela.Guglielmi@mass.gov).
