New partnership to support textile recycling in Wirral
It will soon be easier for Wirral residents to clear out their unwanted textiles as Wirral Council joins forces with Roberts Recycling to install 15 new recycling banks across the borough.
Clothes, shoes and other reusable textile products such as sheets, towels, belts, bags and hats can all be put into new containers, which will be located at:
- Mill Park Drive, Eastham
- Allport Lane Car Park, Bromborough
- Barlow Avenue Car Park, Bebington
- Grove Street Car Park, New Ferry
- Holm Lane/ Woodchurch Road Car Park, Prenton
- Pye Road Car Park, Heswall
- Mount Avenue/ Heswall Hall, Heswall
- Puddydale Car Park, Heswall
- West Kirby Morrisons, West Kirby
- Greasby Library, Greasby
- Seaview Road Car Park, Wallasey
- Liscard Village Car Park, Wallasey
- Holt Avenue, Moreton
- Exmouth Car Park, Birkenhead
- Church Road Car Park, Bebington
By providing these facilities to make it easier for residents to dispose of their unwanted textiles, the council is contributing to the delivery of its Waste Strategy; rethinking waste as a valuable resource and supporting communities to reduce, reuse, and recycle more effectively.
Cllr Liz Grey, Chair of the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee for Wirral Council, said:
We know that people are accustomed to taking their unwanted clothes to charity shops – and increasingly buying and selling pre-loved items through online platforms and websites – which is a great way of reusing clothes and shoes and reducing the items that end up in general waste.
The new banks provide another alternative – a convenient, local way for residents to clear out their unwanted clean, wearable or reusable clothes, shoes and other items and have them recycled or reused.
For any worn and damaged textiles, residents can continue to use the tips – or even compost if the textiles are made out of natural fibres.
The Waste and Resources Action programme (WRAP) holds data from 2021 that shows that around 711,000 tonnes of used textiles were discarded in the household bin and in general waste containers at tips – which is about 35 items per person, each year.
In Wirral, about 5% of waste collected from green wheelie bins is textiles waste. By using charity shops, trading sites or these dedicated clothes and shoes recycling banks, these materials will be diverted and reused instead.
Paul Roberts, Director at Roberts Recycling, said:
We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Wirral Council to make textile recycling more accessible for local communities, giving clothing a second life while supporting a more sustainable future.
Roberts Recycling has more than 15 years of experience in the textile recycling sector and was recently awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade for a third time – one of the highest accolades for British businesses.
The company hopes to expand the number of banks across the Wirral, as well as work more closely with schools and local charity shops to educate on textile waste.
Roberts Recycling already work with two other local council, St Helen’s and Knowsley.
For more information, please visit the council’s website wirral.gov.uk/textiles
