Kerbside collections continued hit with Conwy residents

Kerbside collections continued hit with Conwy residents

Residents of Conwy County continue to make the most of a free clothing recycling collection service, saving 91.952 tonnes of textiles from incineration in 12 months.

The fortnightly kerbside collection is operated by Crest Cooperative in partnership with Conwy County Borough Council. Between April 2022 and March of this year, Crest collected and saved the equivalent of over 613,000 t-shirts - nearly 12,000 t-shirts a week!

As a re-use organisation, Crest prides itself on working to save as much as possible from landfill and incineration. Having teamed up with the Council to deliver this service, Crest is helping to give unwanted clothes, shoes and accessories a new home. This is done by washing and reselling them in their four community stores and working with like-minded organisations to recycle or reuse textiles.

Mr Rod Williams, Managing Director of Crest, explained how these kerbside collections have more than just an environmental benefit: “People are at the very heart of everything that we do at Crest. By donating pre-loved clothes and textiles, residents of Conwy County help to support the volunteering and employment opportunities that Crest provides to local people.

“Selling donated items helps us run the supported work placements that we provide to people with additional learning needs. These donations also allow us to continue our work in the community -revenue from our shops helps us keep our foodbank’s shelves stocked, allowing us to continue to support individuals in need right across our community.

“Donating to Crest is about so much more than just the positive environmental impact of recycling. It helps us continue to have a positive impact on our community. So I would like to thank everyone who already uses this service for their continued support.”

Every household in Conwy County can use the service by getting a purple bag from any Crest shop or local library, filling the bag with clothes, shoes and accessories, and putting it out for collection. Fortnightly collection dates are shown on the recycling calendar sent out annually by Conwy County Borough Council, and available to check at www.conwy.gov.uk/recycling. Households in rural areas should call Crest on 01492 596781 to book a pick up.