Clearing out your closet? In Massachusetts, old clothes can't go in the trash

Swapping summer clothes for winter gear often turns up a pile of things nobody will wear again. In Massachusetts, that pile does not belong in the trash.

Since Nov. 1, 2022, state rules enforced by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) have banned textiles from disposal, or from being hauled away for disposal.

What the ban covers

According to MassDEP, the rule applies to:

• Clothing and footwear
• Bedding, towels and curtains
• Fabric and similar items, including scraps

The key condition: items must be clean and dry to be accepted for reuse or recycling. Certain contaminated textiles are exempt under state regulations.

Worn out still counts

You do not need a garment in good shape to keep it out of a landfill. MassDEP says nearly any clean, dry textile can be reused, repurposed or recycled, including ripped, stained or single items like a lone sock.

The agency cites an industry estimate that donated textiles break down roughly like this:

How to find a drop-off

MassDEP points residents to its Beyond the Bin Recycling Directory on the RecycleSmartMA website, which can be searched by material and location for donation, reuse and recycling sites.

The stakes are not small. The state estimates residents and businesses throw out about 230,000 tons of textiles a year, and says about 95% of it could have been donated, reused or recycled.