Two environmental initiatives by the Eurobodalla Shire Council have seen residents donate 949 kilograms of bedding and manchester to create new recycled materials.
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In November 2023, the council announced they were teaming up with Australian-first textile recycling company Blocktexx for a one-day recycling event on November 25 at the Moruya Waste Transfer Station.
The trial event saw 63 cars pull up with boots full of bed sheets, pillowcases and towels in just six hours, amassing 949kg of recyclable textiles.
According to the council, for every kilogram of unwanted textile materials, 30kg of carbon dioxide pollution can be prevented from entering our atmosphere.
The council's waste manager Nathan Ladmore said an average of 15kg per household was dropped off on the Give a Sheet for the Planet event.
"We appreciate the community giving a sheet and will look towards holding events annually at multiple locations across our shire," he said.
"...every small act of recycling adds up and collectively we can make a significant impact."
He said the Give a Sheet volunteers were surprised by how much linen was received.
Children from across the Eurobodalla have been brushing up on their drawing skills by illustrating artworks for 2024's environmental calendar.
"It has been a great year educationally, having school kids on board with this year's environment calendar centred around the theme of textile waste," Mr Ladmore said.
The council has also been holding clothes swap days throughout the community.
The initiative allows residents to donate second-hand, unwanted clothes which diverts them from landfill. Residents can take five items and give five items of clothing at the clothes swap event.
"The demand for new clothes and manchester is rising and our buying habits impact the planet by pollution, using up resources and filling up landfills unnecessarily," Mr Ladmore said.
"Often our unwanted clothes have plenty of wear left - by extending their lifespan, we divert them from landfills and lower the demand for new production."
Mr Ladmore said the event encourages people to "choose quality over quantity".
The council will continue working to divert textiles from landfill and is planning a clothes swap event early this year.
Learn more about the council's environmental initiatives here.
