Clothing Disposal Program helps Markham Residents clean up Landfills

The city of Markham, Ontario has developed an efficient way of discarding old or worn out garments that can’t be donated, and this program has prevented 1.4 million kilograms of textile waste from making its way into the city’s landfills over the past several months. What an incredible way for clothing to be donated for a great cause while helping the environment at the same time!

Now that the system is in place, throwing away scrap clothing in any other way is restricted. Scrap clothing must be inserted into the labeled containers or bins in shared or public places like fire stations and communal buildings. These containers and mini bins come with sensors to determine fullness and solar-powered security cameras to pick up any unlawful activity that may occur.

Markham ranks above Toronto garbage removal for its 81% diversion rate through recycling materials, while the capital of Ontario is struggling to reach a 70% diversion rate. Markham’s success was partially driven by its switch to transparent garbage bags, with which residents can see what and how much they’re throwing away. Getting textiles out of landfills was their next test, and they passed with flying colours. The city of Markham is clearly taking garbage disposal to a whole new level.

In collaboration with Value Village, Diabetes Canada, and the Salvation Army Thrift Store, the city gives unwanted clothing to these services and the used or discarded clothing is redistributed for wear or recycled for scraps. Even things like stuffed animals, cushions, and jewelry can be donated free of charge. The benefits for those in need of clothing as well as the environmental benefits are immense.

Now let’s explore the financial benefits of this cost-saving system. Markham has also saved thousands of dollars through their waste removal efforts. The clear bag implementation saved around $761,000 for garbage collection, while clothing recycling should save around $86,000. Residents can discard old textiles they no longer need knowing that they’ll be reused.

City officials hope that other cities adopt similar waste strategies to work towards a cheaper, cleaner future.