The disposal of textiles at Greater Shepparton City Council's Resource Recovery Centres will incur a general waste charge effectively immediately due to the collection and processing contractor having to cease the service due to ongoing challenges within the textile recycling industry.
Global market saturation and rising processing costs have made it unsustainable for many programs to continue. As a result, the collection service for unwanted textiles will no longer be available until an alternative is identified.
Council's textile collection and processing contractor had been engaged since October 2023 with textile disposal points at Shepparton, Ardmona and Murchison Resource Recovery Centres. Since that time more than 20 tonnes of textiles were collected and diverted from landfill.
Director Infrastructure, Gary Randhawa said Council recognises the fantastic work that residents have shown in diverting textile waste from landfill. "Council would like to thank the community for the exceptional part they have played in diverting textiles from landfill," he said.
"Council Officers are investigating alternative services and options for how to facilitate to landfill diversion of textile material," said Mr Randhawa.
"Unfortunately the current ceasing of our textile recovery engagement has left Council with no options for the time being."
While this service is ending, there are still many ways you can help reduce textile waste:
- Donate gently used clothing to local charities or businesses that accept second-hand items. Please ensure these are high quality and in mint condition.
- Check with animal shelters in the area, as many accept old textiles for bedding and other uses.
- Extend the life of your textiles by repairing, repurposing, or upcycling items at home before considering disposal.
The contractor has stated that "We understand that this service was greatly appreciated, and will continue to look for future opportunities to replace it."
