PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Jessica Schreiber, Founder and CEO of FABSCRAP, on Textile Recycling and Waste Management
1:31:56
·
3 min
Jessica Schreiber, founder and CEO of FABSCRAP, testified in support of a bill requiring DSNY to study the feasibility of mandatory household textile recycling. She highlighted the significant amount of textile waste in NYC and the challenges in mandating collection, sorting, and responsible end-of-life options for textiles.
- Schreiber emphasized the need to explore practical end-of-life options for textiles, noting that most recycling is actually downcycling.
- She pointed out the lack of awareness and enforcement of the existing 10% textile waste recycling law for businesses.
- Schreiber suggested considering seasonal challenges, transportation costs, and support for thrift organizations in the proposed study.
Jessica Schreiber
1:31:56
Hang on.
1:31:56
Okay.
1:31:59
Hello, sanitation and solid waste management committee.
1:32:01
My name is Jessica Schreiber.
1:32:03
I'm the founder and CEO of FAB Scrap, a nonprofit that provides textile reuse and recycling service to over 800 fashion companies in New York City.
1:32:11
Prior to starting fast scrap, I worked at DSNY in the Bureau of Recycling And Sustainability.
1:32:16
I oversaw the refashion YC program for 5 years after its launch in 2012.
1:32:20
And as part of my role, I organized and conducted a pilot of curbside collection of textiles in 2015.
1:32:27
I'm here in support of council member Hudson's bill to require DSNY to complete a household textile recycling mandate feasibility study.
1:32:35
Textiles make up 5% of the city's total waste stream, the largest segment after traditional recyclables in organics.
1:32:42
The current DSNY textile programs are only voluntary.
1:32:46
I'm wondering if the department knows how much of the city's 200,000 tons of annual textile waste is actually captured and diverted by the voluntary programs.
1:32:55
There are potentially significant challenges in mandating collection, sorting, and responsible end of life options for textiles, and I think these challenges should receive appropriate attention and be explored.
1:33:05
And this study is a first step.
1:33:08
And since DSNY already mentioned that commercial textile waste is a problem, I'd like to note, in working with 800 fashion and interior design companies, none of them were aware of the 10% textile waste recycling law.
1:33:22
There is no enforcement of this law.
1:33:24
I believe it would currently fall under Vic.
1:33:26
And besides Fabscrap, there is no infrastructure in place for businesses to actually comply with that law.
1:33:31
And I would suggest that that be included in the study as well.
1:33:35
Some additional context and insights just to make the study as effective as possible that tech star recycling is really downcycling.
1:33:43
There are no fiber to fiber technologies ready to take real volume.
1:33:47
Most material that is recycled is shredded into insulation, carpet padding, furniture lining, etcetera.
1:33:54
The study should consider the practical and available end of life options, and I'll submit the rest in writing, I guess.
Shaun Abreu
1:34:02
I'm gonna give you all another I'll give you guys 3 minutes each.
1:34:04
You can
Jessica Schreiber
1:34:04
Thank you.
1:34:05
Yeah.
1:34:05
I'll finish in that time.
1:34:08
At this time, shredding of leathers and furs is not possible.
1:34:11
Buttons and zippers must be removed, and so this study should consider how common household textiles can or cannot be shredded and sorted.
1:34:19
The nearest facility available to shred large volumes is in South Carolina, so the study should consider the cost and environmental impact of moving collected materials or developing similar infrastructure within the city.
1:34:32
The DSNY mentioned seasonal challenges, but this is also in the production of textile waste.
1:34:37
People don't throw out textile waste the way they do other trash and recyclables.
1:34:41
It's much more seasonal, and so an ongoing program may not be cost effective.
1:34:45
Finally, thrift organizations are already overburdened by the amount of unusable clothing they receive.
1:34:51
If textiles are banned, the study should include how nonprofits will be supported to build capacity, to sort and redistribute usable items, and DSNY should be asked how they can ensure that our clothing waste is not simply relocated to become pollution or fill landfill in other parts of the world.
1:35:08
I'm very hopeful that a thorough and focused study will provide steps forward to address our city's pre and post consumer textile waste problem and thank you for taking action on this issue.
Shaun Abreu
1:35:18
Of course.
