Clothes recycling boxes are a local benefit, if only . . .
Governments in South Florida and most of the country have been struggling with this question: Should we view clothes-recycling boxes as a glass half full — a positive public service similar to other types of recycling? Or as a glass half empty — a negative public nuisance? The answer is both.
As they did with trash management and many forms of recycling, New York City is a leader in solving the national problem of placing mountains of potentially recyclable clothing in landfills. A year ago, New York and a local charity created an initiative called re-fashioNYC program that puts landfills on a diet, saves taxpayers’ landfill costs, and increases charitable funding, with little or no taxpayer governmental expenditures.
Other local governments will soon be starting similar programs, which will increase local funding for essential public services solely through the use of chari- ties.
When local governments help to increase local charitable funding, they also create taxpayer savings. A good example is The Salvation Army’s addiction-homeless program, funded entirely with money from the public’s generous donations of recyclable waste-like clothing.
Yet, there could be so much more benefit if only local governments created more accommodating regulations and practices. Our local challenges must be met together.
The Salvation Army of Broward County Adult Rehabilitation Center has taken the lead in Broward County, with the help of many local governments that now allow non-profit clothing recycling boxes including: the Town of Davie, especially Nova Southeastern University; the City of North Lauderdale and Broward County Public Schools. Pompano Beach, Sunrise and especially Deerfield Beach have drafted landmark municipal ordinances.
The other side of outdoor clothing boxes is that not all boxes serve the same purpose.
In Broward, unauthorized out-of-state for-profits, which often deceive the public by labeling their boxes as a charity, have placed their boxes virtually anywhere, often without property owner permission, and then poorly maintain them. The monies collected by these companies provide little local benefit and drain revenue from local charities. These for-profit boxes cause a public nuisance and give credence to the half-empty view of clothing donation boxes.
If allowed to continue, these for-profit companies will cause our local taxpayers to take up the financial burden of services that previously were paid for by clothing donations to non-profits. Will we allow that?
Authorized non-profit boxes, on the other hand, will not only make clothing recycling convenient and reduce taxpayerfunded landfills, but also improve governmental control, ensure the public knows who they are donating to, and, most importantly, help fund much-needed increases in local public services paid for by unwanted recyclable clothes. More than half full, I’d say.
Please don’t throw your old clothes away. Recycle your clothes today, to benefit Broward County.