Village Council approves textile recycling program for Palatine residents

At the March 7, 2022 Village Council Meeting, the Village Council approved an agreement with Simple Recycling to begin a Village-wide residential textile recycling program.

Beginning Monday March 28, residents in Palatine will be able to request a front door pickup via Simple Recycling's website or phone line for textiles that residents want to recycle. Rather than being disposed in a landfill or incinerated, materials collected would be recycled as material for insulation or car seat filler.

This Clothing and Textile Collection program diverts clothing and textile items from landfills, assists the local community, and supports the environment and planet. The program accepts new, gently used, or unwanted/worn, women's, men's and children's clothing and textiles. All fabrics are accepted. Even clothes or textiles with stains or holes, along with those notorious single socks, are accepted. This is a full-circle program. Your donations of new and gently used clothing and textiles will be recycled into usable new products.

Simple Recycling's website states that the average person throws away 68 pounds of clothing per year. Clothing and housewares account for approximately 10% of the municipal waste stream and 85% of clothing does not get recycled or donated but thrown away.

The program is endorsed by the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County. Village staff said the program received positive feedback from other area municipalities that have the same program. Around 11 other Chicago-land communities already participate in a textile recycling program with Simple Recycling.