The Problematic Impacts of Environmental waste
The problematic impacts of environmental waste related to textile production is becoming a contentious area in both state and federal governments, with an estimated 85% of used and unwanted apparel sent directly to landfill. Textile production has doubled in the last decade with clothing brands competing to create faster fashion cycles, and as a consequence, an increase in expired stock.
Did You Know in
Australia
Australians discard on average 23 kilograms of clothing per person each year, most of this ending up in landfill, amounting to over 500,000 tonnes of Australia’s landfill waste attributed to textiles.
Currently, textile waste is accountable for 10 percent of global carbon emissions. In a report for the Monash Sustainable Development Institute “Transitioning to a Circular Textile Economy in Australia”, researchers presented some eye-watering statistics on the scale of the problem:
6000 kilos
Every 10 minutes, an estimated 6,000 kilos of textiles and clothing are dumped in landfill in Australia
1%
Only 1% of total collected disposed garments are recycled
33%
100 billion garments are produced globally each year, with 33% going to landfill within the first year of purchase
20%
The textile industry is estimated to emit 8% of carbon emissions, and 20% of the world’s wastewater
80%
Global garment industry generates 92 million tonnes of textile waste, 80% of which is primarily disposed of in landfill
Why e-THREAD for Local
Government and Councils
Our commitment
e-THREAD’s commitment towards promoting an environmentally sustainable future begins with transparency and 100% tracking of all donated apparel using our vertically integrated supply chain to ensure all donated items are either reused both domestically and internationally, repurposed as rags, or recycled with zero waste. e-THREAD is committed to working with social and charitable organisations to help promote sustainable and economical solutions that benefit local and national communities.
Our ethos
e-THREAD’s ethos is to work toward achieving the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDG) 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns, particularly in relation to substantially reducing waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) is at the core of our firm’s collective conscientious for social and environmental factors.
What you get with e-THREAD
We provide tailored models to either utilise community spaces within local councils, or facilitate event-based pick-ups, to allow greater accessibility and convenience for responsible and sustainable recycling, with exceptional service at the core of our ethos.
Supply and manage collection bins
- Audit all locations and positioning for bins for community service and prevention of disturbance.
- Supply, maintenance and installation for all bins.
- Pay rates and lease charges to council.
Service
- Daily collection service for all bins ensuring location is clean and tidy.
- Clearly marked bins including 24hr emergency call service.
- Monitor and evaluate the overall impact of bins, 100% tracking.
- Real-time compliance messaging APP records all pickups, services, incidents and complaints.
- Illegal dumping management.
- Facilitate lower carbon footprint, reduced energy and water consumption and waste cost for council.
Our relationship
- Long term contracted relationship.
- Affiliation with NACRO / Charitable Recycling Australia.
- Promote community responsibility by facilitating charitable, social and environmental benefits of sustainable recycling.
- Manage illegal dumping of bins from other parties for the council.
- Database APP for real-time compliance and reporting.
- Tailored community value enhancement services.
- Promote corporate responsibility (Eco-conscious communities).
Our Model
- Long term partnered approach.
- ESG value.
- Community and charity based ethos. Since 2012, our founding company B&B Rags, supports and is affiliated with charity organisations both domestically and internationally. We are a recognised community services provider with a number of local government councils and schools across Australia.
Why work
With Us
Best practise solutions
We tailor and customise our clothing collection solutions & programs, with our clients and in-turn find that we bring out the best in practise guidelines for the servicing and maintenance of our mutual programs.
Our industry experience
Since 2009, our founders of the business and our experienced staff, bring several years of industry practise, dedication and knowhow. Over the years, we have formed close relationships with service providers, private organisations, schools, churches and charities of whom today we regard as an extension to our family and business today.
Our continued support
We work directly with our client programs, charities and communities in providing sustainable income streams to their initiatives and drives. Supporting a variety of initiatives, communities, etc etc
Real time data and transparency
We invest in real-time data across our business from collection to the final destination. Our purpose built customised platforms audits and tracks all the items we collect providing transparency and real-time data across the value chain.
Our Approach
Clothing bins will be designed and placed where they do not detract from the amenity and appearance of the landscape. This will include a site specific assessment.
- In designing and placing the bins, considerations include that bins:
Are not to be placed in thoroughfares or pedestrian pathways
Are adequately fixed to a concrete pad or in a manner that it does not pose a risk of moving or being moved and causing injury or damage to property
Are not to be placed in a manner that facilitates illegal/ unauthorised entry into property
Do not impede line of sight, causing safety hazards
Do not present a threat to surrounding people or infrastructure in the event there is a fire in the bins
Are placed in appropriate areas to ensure collection truck access without disturbing traffic flow
Are clearly visible in well-lit areas to deter illegal dumping
Are placed near convenient parking areas to ensure off-road parking and access to the bin, as well as allowing collection trucks to access the bins without blocking thoroughfares
Are clearly marked with the name and contact details of the organisation responsible for servicing and maintaining the bins, including a 24 hour emergency number
Are clearly marked with information on what materials can be deposited and that littering or illegal dumping in an offence under the Environment Protection Act 1986 and the Litter Act 1979
Illegal dumping is addressed in a streamlined, prompt manner which caters for a short- and long-term response
The value in
Our Cooperation
By providing easy access to recycling bins that facilitates collection of clothing apparel and accessories, e-THREAD enables:
Fostering eco-conscious communities through recycling
Instead of throwing clothes away after use, clothes can be given a new life via being sold domestically or to developing countries where they support local businesses. There is a great demand for used clothing around the world and the clothes provide a reliable source of income for business owners and their families.
Reducing carbon footprint
Recycling clothes contributes toward reducing greenhouse gases. Most clothes are made from organic materials, meaning that they are biodegradable. When you let your clothes land in landfills, the landfills usually lack enough oxygen that can breakdown the materials to decompose properly. This makes the materials decompose through anaerobic digestion, leading to the production of some dangerous greenhouse gases. Since the wastes in landfills are colossal and uncontrolled, the gases get emitted into the atmosphere, leading to environmental pollution that causes climatic changes. Recycling 100 million pounds of clothes influences the environment equivalent to removing 26,000-35,000 cars from the road.
Reducing energy and water consumption
The process of making clothing consumes a very high amount of energy. Every piece of clothing goes through a very complicated manufacturing process that consumes a very high amount of water, electricity, and some other sources of energy. Recyling clothes reduces the amount of energy that could have been used in making other clothing. It also reduces the energy that would have consumed in starting to make the material from scratch.
Reducing cost
Landfill spaces consume a lot of space and are also quite expensive to build and maintain. Furthermore, the spaces occupied by clothing have an opportunity cost of being used for something else. Every year, 92 million tonnes of clothing ends up in landfills globally which cost millions of dollars to build and millions more every year to operate. Recycling keeps landfill costs down for cities, thereby increasing their available budget for other municipal needs.
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