RENNES, France – Rennes Métropole is asking its citizens to be more mindful of how thay dispose of unwanted clothing.To often, textiles are being thrown into household waste bins or yellow recycling cans, creating problems for the sorting facilities managed by Paprec (the RHEU) for Rennes Métropole. “some textiles are wrapped in equipment and generate technical stops,” explains Erwan Nedelec,Brittany regional director at Paprec. “This causes increased maintenance that harms the entire sorting sector.”

The situation worsened in July when the Relais, the primary clothing collection organization, temporarily suspended collections in the Rennes metropolis, mirroring a nationwide issue.The Relais requested a revaluation of the sorting contribution paid by Refashion due to declining revenue. Collection at textile terminals resumed on July 24 after several days of interruption.

textile Waste: A Growing Problem

“It is indeed in collective habitats that the lack of good citizenship is the most critically important,” adds Erwan Nedelec.

The brief interruption in service led to an increase in improper disposal. “In the yellow trash cans of the metropolis, it is estimated that there are 1 kg of clothes per capita and per year. In household waste, this figure increases to 7 kg per capita/per year,” details Laurent Hamon, vice president in charge of waste from the Rennes metropolis. “These are very large quantities that have nothing to do there. All textiles, including those who are damaged, must go in the relay collection terminals. The sorting channels are only made for cardboard/plastic packaging, not for clothes.”

According to Nedelec, “It is in collective habitats that the lack of good citizenship is the most important. People hide behind the anonymity of a large garbage dumpster.” He also noted a rise in sorting errors over the past six months due to the strain on the clothing sector. “The refusal of sorting exploded. in the Rennes metropolis, we went from 20 to 30 % in a few months.”

Relais Resumes Collection Efforts

The Relais resumed its collections at the end of July. Residents can place all clean, dry clothes, linen, and shoes in closed bags at one of the 307 terminals throughout the metropolis. The organization sorts 2,000 tonnes of clothing each year in the area, and could perhaps triple that amount if all textiles were properly sorted.