PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Madeleine MacGillivray, Climate Justice Director at Seeding Sovereignty, on Textile Recycling
1:35:24
·
150 sec
Madeleine MacGillivray testified in support of Intro 256, emphasizing the need for expanded textile recycling in New York City. She highlighted the potential benefits of a mandatory textile recycling program, including job creation, cost savings, and environmental impact reduction.
- MacGillivray stressed that 200,000 tons of textiles are unnecessarily sent to landfills each year in NYC.
- She urged the expansion of textile recycling beyond the current opt-in Refashion NYC program.
- The testimony included recommendations for implementing a comprehensive textile recycling plan, such as ensuring textiles are not shipped abroad and including NYCHA in the study.
Madeleine MacGillivray
1:35:24
Oh, hello?
1:35:26
Hi.
1:35:27
Cassedy council members.
1:35:28
And in memory of Richard.
1:35:30
I'm Madeline McIlree.
1:35:32
I'm here to testify in support of intro 256.
1:35:34
I'm gonna echo a lot of what Jessica just mentioned.
1:35:36
I'm a lifelong New Yorker.
1:35:37
I'm a climate professional with a microplastics and microfiber research background.
1:35:42
And I direct the climate justice program of a multi lens EJ in social justice nonprofit called Seating Sovereign team.
1:35:47
I was also part of the team at a startup called Retriever, which was an on demand doorstep collection household textile and recycling service, where I learned the challenges, nuances, technical needs, and education needs of recycling textiles.
1:36:01
So as Sherbao you've mentioned, we've come a long way with organics.
1:36:05
We've talked a lot about that today, and we should be really proud.
1:36:07
But there's another huge material stream at play.
1:36:09
I recognize the progress.
1:36:11
Already made with textiles diversion outlined by the commissioner and Jessica.
1:36:15
And I echo his comparison to magicians.
1:36:17
I truly view anyone working in solid waste's real life superheroes, but we're dealing with a system where we're throwing 200,000 tons per year of a material that is not waste into landfill, really questioning what the word waste means.
1:36:31
And so we have to deal with that at some point.
1:36:34
And until then, we'll be unnecessarily allocating tax dollars and city funds Because New York's existing textiles recycling program is opt in only.
1:36:44
This material stream is vastly under tapped.
1:36:46
There are people who can benefit, and the city of New York financially can benefit.
1:36:50
Our circularity goals really need to work to create clean jobs and reduce waste where no waste is sent to landfill.
1:36:57
So there's such an opportunity for job creation here, for workforce development programs, for saving tax dollars, and ultimately more circularity, and sharing this massive material waste dream.
1:37:07
So that's why I urge all of you to expand textile recycling outside of Refashion NYC by supporting InterDU Fifty Six, and also to require that perm sanitation not only to conduct the feasibility study of the recycling household textiles, but also include a full plan to implement the program.
1:37:22
Make sure that the plan includes the textiles are not shipped abroad as Jessica also outlined to folks of the global south where they unjustly have to bear this burden.
1:37:31
Include nonprofit capacity building with local players to really empower folks who know their communities best and with a plan to reuse fabric scraps and work with existing local experts, some of whom are here and include NYCHA as part of the study.
1:37:44
It's a long complicated intricate road to zero waste by 2030, but this is a critical step that would continue to position the city as a leader in climate.
1:37:52
Thank you both for your work as well.
Shaun Abreu
1:37:54
Thank you very much for your testimony, Mister Leon Johnson.
