Textile waste collection made data-driven

Textile waste collection management

Globally, an estimated 92 million tonnes of textiles waste are created each year and the equivalent of a rubbish truck full of clothes ends up on landfill sites every second. By 2030, we are expected to discard more than 134 million tonnes of textiles a year. The clothing industry is also infamously known for the amount of resources it wastes and the millions of clothes ending up in landfills every day, being responsible for nearly 10% of global carbon emissions.

In the United States, the legislation only in New York State and California applies to producers of clothing, textile accessories, and bags, as well as household linen and textile furnishings. California’s Responsible Textile Recovery Act is due to be revised in 2024, with potential application in 2026. New York’s legislation aims to be implemented from 1st July 2025. If these texts are adopted, all retailers, distributors, and wholesalers who do not integrate an Extended Producer Responsibility system will no longer be authorized to sell covered products collected and managed in these two States.

Textile waste is a stream that is still awaiting legislation for separate collection in the EU. According to European law, it should come into practice in 2025. Until then, the system is supported by private companies that manage the collection of discarded clothes, and ensure its reuse, recycling, and charity donation.

Managing textile waste containers digitally

Revolutionize the way you manage textile waste with Sensoneo’s cutting-edge technology. Our innovative solution combines smart sensors with an advanced waste management platform to provide efficient and sustainable management of textile waste. What makes containers for textile waste unique, is their irregular filling cycles. The speed by which the containers become full is unpredictable, which makes the pickup process difficult for operations and logistics and puts high financial and time demands on managers. Real-time online monitoring of fill levels can significantly improve operations and reduce costs.

At the heart of our solution are smart sensors strategically placed in textile waste containers, constantly monitoring the fill levels. These sensors utilize state-of-the-art technology to accurately monitor the level of waste within the containers. The data collected is then transmitted in real-time to our centralized waste management platform, providing actionable insights for waste management teams and data-driven decisions.

One of the key advantages of Sensoneo’s Textile Waste Management Solution is the significant savings in time and resources for waste collection operations. By knowing exactly when a container is reaching capacity, pickup routes can be optimized, reducing unnecessary trips and saving fuel. This not only improves operational efficiency but also contributes to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly waste management process.

One of our European customers, founded only in 2017 is already the fastest-growing textile waste operator in the region, with approximately 3.000 tonnes of textile waste collected annually. The company operates within an area of 16.000 km2 and manages 1.300 containers for clothes, shoes, toys, and home textiles. The containers are usually distributed in busy urban areas. The availability of textile waste containers nearby encourages citizens to sort their clothes properly. With smart waste monitoring on board, the customer has completely redesigned the way it operates. The whole network is digitalized, and the drivers can easily and quickly identify the containers that require the pickup, and so saving unnecessary trips and fuel, and spending their time efficiently.

Thanks to data from the sensors, our customers managed to significantly improve the management of operations as they:

• decreased the time required for the collection of 1 tonne of textile waste by 29 percent,
• reduced the waste pickup cost by 22 percent,
• made the logistics process smoother and better organized,
• gained a significant advantage over competitors,
• reach the ROI in 7 months.

Through our intuitive waste management platform, owners of the container infrastructure have access to real-time data on the fill levels of textile waste containers. This allows for proactive decision-making, ensuring timely waste pickup and preventing overflow situations. With all the information centralized in one platform, monitoring and managing textile waste has never been easier. Join the revolution in textile waste management with Sensoneo. Experience increased efficiency, reduced costs, and a greener future. Contact us today to learn more about how our solution can transform your waste management processes.