The fashion industry has become the second most polluting in the world, only behind the big oil companies. The environmental impact of the textile industry extends throughout its “commercial ecosystem”: from production, distribution, and exhibition to acquisition, care, and washing processes and, finally, its disposal. In the United States, more than 12 million tons of clothing are dumped in landfills annually.

Clothing and textiles are 100% recyclable, but only 15% are recycled in the United States. To recycle clothing, it is best to first consider whether it can have a second life and if so, give it away, donate it or take it to a second-hand store, always clean and dry to prevent the spread of bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

When it comes to clothes that are already in very poor condition or pieces of fabric that can no longer be reused, it is best to take them to a collection point that accepts this type of waste. At recycling centers for textiles, clothing is turned into fiber and used to make new products, such as padding, rubber-coated playgrounds, and some materials for the automotive industry.

Waste transfer stations or material recycling facilities are sites where recyclable materials and waste are collected. At the stations, the waste is classified and separated to later be transferred to another area or facility for recycling, demolition, or landfill. The waste transfer stations are not just another stop for our garbage, here a fundamental process is carried out to reduce pollution by waste.

Waste transfer stations reduce waste going to landfills, preventing much hazardous chemical pollution remains from ending up in landfills, plus the transfer of waste from local collection trucks to larger vehicles, such as a train or ship, reduces significantly the cost of transportation and the environmental impact of transporting garbage.

Not all the containers we consume are recyclable, even those that may seem so, that is why sometimes the local recycling center does not accept all the waste we carry. For example, while plastic bottles are the most widely recycled plastic products, not all bottles are made from the same plastic and their acceptance varies depending on the capabilities of each local recycling center.

In addition, the recycling services can reject your waste for recycling because it is dirty or contaminated since this means that it can no longer be recycled. Another reason facilities may reject materials is because of their shape, since some objects can damage the machinery, such as hooks. Other items that you cannot deposit in the recycling centers are:

• Syringes
• Bowling balls
• Aerosol cans that are not empty
• Plastic bags
• Batteries
• Diapers
• Electronics
• Ceramics

Electronic waste, also known as e-waste, is all parts of electronic devices or broken devices, such as household appliances, televisions, electric stoves, air conditioners, microwaves, radios, computers, mobile phones, batteries, hard drives, motherboards, circuits, monitors, etc., that we discard.

Most e-waste contains a series of highly polluting materials, including heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, lead, chromium, arsenic or antimony, which not only harm the environment, but are also highly dangerous for human health.

The best way to dispose of electronic waste is by recycling. Electronic waste contains precious metals including gold, silver, copper, platinum, and palladium, as well as significant amounts of iron, aluminum, and plastics, which can be recycled. Giving away electronic devices that are no longer needed is always the best option, but if it is a product that cannot be repaired, it is important to deposit it at a local recycling center that accepts electronic waste. Recycling centers reclaim many of the materials from which these products are made, including plastics, glass, metal, and aluminum that can be recovered and reused in new electronics.

Paper is one of the easiest materials to recycle, however, for this to happen, it must be treated correctly from the beginning of the recycling chain, that is, from the consumer. The most important thing when it comes to recycling paper is that it does not contain polluting agents, since any type of food, oil, or some other residue makes it unrecyclable and can contaminate the entire batch.

Paper that is not recycled ends up in landfills and although it degrades rapidly compared to other materials since it is not reused, it increases the exploitation of forests and trees in the manufacture of the new paper.

As for cardboard boxes or cardboard in general, which is made up of several layers of paper, it is best to give it a second use whenever possible. On the other hand, failing that, keep them clean and break them so that they can be properly treated in the local recycling centers.