Will County to host textile recycling event next week

Residents will be able to drop off their unwanted clothing, footwear and other textiles at a recycling event hosted by Will County next week.

The recycling event will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Will County Office Building, 302 N. Chicago St. in Joliet, according to a news release.

“This is a great opportunity to clean out and recycle old clothing and home items,” Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant said in a statement.

“You can declutter and reduce the environmental impact of these items being sent to local landfills,” Bertino-Tarrant said. “It’s a win-win!”

The drop-off point for items will be at the south end of the building’s parking lot. Residents are welcome to drop off clean textile items, including clothes, footwear and household items.

Items with mold, mud or dirt will not be accepted.

“The primary goal of this event is to educate the public that cloth items should not be sent to the landfill,” Marta Keane, Will County’s recycling specialist, said in a statement. “Home textiles and clothing items can be reused and distributed to those in need or recycled if they are not in a good enough condition for reuse.”

Will County is partnering with Helping Hands, a local thrift store supplier and global reuse and recycling organization, to collect items. Helping Hands supplies thrift stores with secondhand clothing to keep them from reaching landfills.

For information about the textile collection event, visit willcountygreen.com.