Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., in partnership with GrowNYC’s Office of Recycling Outreach and Education, Waste Management, Wearable Collections and We Recycle, will hold a textile and electronic waste recycling drive on the weekend following Earth Day.

The recycling drive will take place on Saturday, April 24 and Sunday, April 25 at two locations in the Bronx. On April 24, residents can bring their recyclable items to the Get Green: South Bronx Earth Fest at St. Mary’s Park, located at St. Ann’s Avenue and East 147th Street, from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. On April 25, the drive will continue at the Riverdale YMHA Environmental Fair at 5625 Arlington Avenue off of 256th Street, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

“I am urging all Bronxites to do their part to celebrate Earth Day this year by bringing their old textiles and electronics equipment to be recycled. After dropping off recyclables, families can stay to enjoy the festivities at both the Get Green South Bronx Earth Fest and the Riverdale YMHA Environmental Fair. Together, we can reduce the waste generated in our borough and contribute to a cleaner and healthier environment,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

Bronx residents are invited to bring their old clothing and textiles, as well as any used electronic equipment, to be recycled. The textile recycling collection will accept clothing, coats, bedding, upholstery, scarves, belts, hats, handbags, and shoes. Electronic equipment that can be recycled includes cell phones, pagers, game systems, speakers, televisions, computers, monitors, copiers, printers (and ink cartridges), fax machines, scanners, laptops, stereo equipment, keyboards, digital cameras, answering machines and PDAs.

Textiles and electronics are two of the largest portions of our waste stream that can be recycled but often are not. Electronic waste has grown exponentially in recent years, as more Americans invest in computers, cell phones and other electronics while constantly discarding outdated equipment. Unfortunately, these electronic gadgets contain many toxic materials that end up in the landfill, where they can contaminate soil and groundwater. Older televisions contain several pounds of lead each while computers and other electronic equipment contain hazardous materials such as mercury, chromium, cadmium and zinc. When these items are recycled, these dangerous metals are reused, rather than sent off to the landfill.

Textiles make up six percent of the waste stream in New York City, where 190,000 tons of old clothing, shoes, and other textiles are sent to landfills ever year. By bringing their old clothing and other textile items to be recycled, Bronx residents will reduce waste and help provide used clothing for the less fortunate. The textiles collected during the drive will be sorted, and any clothing that can be reused will be sent to countries in Latin America and Eastern Europe. All other textiles will be recycled into new products such as fiberboard, upholstery and fabric.