Newton Public Schools encouraging residents to recycle used clothing

Newton Public Schools is encouraging people to recycle their used clothing, shoes, and linens using collection bins placed at many of the district’s schools.

The school district is partnering with the textile collection company Helpsy to collect materials made from products such as wool, silk, linen, cotton, polyester, leather, vinyl, hemp, and rayon, according to Mayor Ruthanne Fuller.

“We are being proactive because in three months, on Nov. 1, textiles in Massachusetts can no longer be disposed of in trash and in our blue bins,” Fuller said in a statement.

Newton’s school principals and the school facilities staff worked with the city’s Parks, Recreation and Culture Department to place bins in locations that are easy to access and service.

Bins have been placed at more than a dozen Newton schools, including the North and South high schools, the Bigelow and Brown middle schools, and most of the city’s elementary schools, according to the Newton Public Schools website.

“Helpsy will empty the bins regularly and remove the donated materials. They are responsible for ensuring that the bins are in good condition and serviced regularly,” the website states.

The bins generate a small amount of revenue for the schools based on a per-pound amount for the textiles collected, according to the school department. “NPS plans to use the revenue generated to support additional sustainability initiatives in our schools,” the department said.

A complete list of acceptable items to leave in the Helpsy bins is available online at www.newton.k12.ma.us/Page/3540. Residents with questions may call 617-559-9000 or email [e-mail].