Handling difficult materials: Textiles

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Waste Age; (United States)

OSTI ID:7021900

Polk, T

As recyclable materials, textiles are a potentially valuable addition to community collection programs. They make up a fairly substantial fraction--about 4%--of the residential solid waste stream, a higher figure than corrugated cardboard or magazines. Textiles have well-established processing and marketing infrastructures, with annual sales of over $1 billion in the US And buyers are out there, willing to pay $40 to $100 per ton. There doesn't seem to be any cumbersome government regulations standing in the way, either. So why are so few municipalities and waste haulers currently attempting to recover textiles The answers can be found in the properties of the material itself and a lack of knowledge about the existing textile recycling industry. There are three main end markets that come from waste textiles. In descending order of market share, they are: used clothing, fiber for paper and re-processing, and industrial wiping and polishing cloths.

• OSTI ID: 7021900
• Journal Information: Waste Age; (United States), Journal Name: Waste Age; (United States) Vol. 25:7; ISSN WAGEAE; ISSN 0043-1001
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320305 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Industrial Waste Management
320604* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Municipalities & Community Systems-- Municipal Waste Management-- (1980-)
MANAGEMENT
MARKET
RECYCLING
SOLID WASTES
TEXTILES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES