TOWSON, MD—Baltimore County on Wednesday announced that the Department of Public Works & Transportation, Bureau of Solid Waste Management has partnered with Helpsy, a certified B Corporation that extends the useful life of secondhand clothing.

Residents are now able to recycle clothing, shoes, backpacks, sheets, towels, blankets, curtains, throw rugs and other household textiles in Helpsy clothing collection containers located at any of the County’s three drop-off facilities. Items must be clean, dry, odorless, and bagged.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, textile waste is the fastest-growing waste stream in the United States, occupying nearly 5% of all landfill space.

“The Bureau of Solid Waste is excited about this new partnership with Helpsy,” said Solid Waste Management Director Nick Rodricks. “Textiles are a surprisingly large share of what residents throw away, so we’re very happy to have a new outlet for these materials. Anything residents can help us divert from the landfill and repurpose will help with our long-term waste reduction goals. Residents should take advantage of this program, collect their old clothes and drop them off at one of our drop-off facilities.”

Helpsy partners with municipalities and organizations to collect unwanted clothing while giving back to the community. In 2022, Helpsy paid more than $500,000 to charities for collection partnerships, saved municipalities over $1.5 million in disposal fees and donated over 28,000 coats to those in need.

“We are dedicated to changing the way people think about clothing recycling while adhering to the highest level of social and environmental performance” says Dan Green, Co-Founder and CEO, “Helpsy’s mission is to keep clothes out of the trash.”

For more information about the County’s recycling programs and Helpsy’s municipal partnership, residents can contact the Bureau of Solid Waste Management at 410-887-2000 and visit Helpsy’s website.