Textile Recycling
The University of Pittsburgh’s textile recycling program was launched in January 2020, which is when this news post was published.
For updated information on Pitt’s textile recycling program, please visit the “Specialty Recycling” section of our Zero Waste page.
Clothing and textiles make up ~6.3% of the U.S. waste stream, so please help us divert items that may not have usable life back into the circular economy!
Starting in January 2020, the University of Pittsburgh launched a number of locations to collect textiles meeting acceptability guidelines listed below. Clothing and textiles make up ~6.3% of the U.S. waste stream, so represent a campus- and city-wide opportunity to keep textiles in the circular economy, while assisting in reaching our goal is to reduce landfill waste 25% from 2017 levels by 2030.
Please continue to donate all wearable clothing and accessories to the University of Thriftsburgh(on-campus thrift store in O’Hara Student Center) or to your local reuse stores!
During the Covid-19 global pandemic, campus drop-off locations remain open to the Pitt community. Public drop-off is available at Pitt Surplus at 7500 Thomas Boulevard from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Accepted Items
- Clothing, coats, and jackets
- Linens, towels, bedding, drapes, and curtains
- Hats, gloves, belts, shoes, jewelry, and other accessories.
Not Accepted
- Mattress toppers and pillows
- Hazardous waste
- Single stream recyclables
Collection units have been placed around campus near existing toner and/or battery diversion locations, at the 28 locations listed below.
- Alumni Hall – Main Lobby, Lytton St. Entrance
- Benedum Hall – Lobby
- Biomedical Science Tower – Lobby
- Bruce Hall – Lobby
- Cathedral of Learning – Ground Floor (Near Elevators)
- Chevron HallCraig Hall – Main Lobby
- Eureka Building – Main Lobby
- Forbes Hall – Second Floor Lounge
- Graduate School of Public Health – DeSoto Lobby
- Hillman Library – Ground Floor Lobby
- Irvis Hall – Ground Floor (Near Print Station)
- Litchfield Towers – Lobby near ATM
- Lothrop Hall – Main Floor (Near Mail Room)
- Mervis Hall – Ground Floor
- Nordenberg Hall – Main Floor (Near Mail Room)
- O’Hara Student Center – Hallway near Hydration Station & Men’s Rest Room
- Panther Hall – Ground Floor (Near Mail Room)
- Park Plaza – Main Lobby
- Petersen Events Center – Mezzanine, 2nd Floor
- Public Safety Building – Forbes Avenue Lobby
- Posvar Hall – Main Lobby (Near Elevators)
- Ruskin Hall – Main Floor LoungeSalk Hall
- Scaife Hall – 4th Floor, Terrace St. Entrance
- Sutherland Hall – Main Floor (Near East Entrance by Panther Central Express)
- Thomas Blvd.—Main Lobby @ 7500 Thomas Boulevard + Large bin in parking lots past gates
- William Pitt Union – Main Lobby
All textiles are diverted back into the circular economy by our partners.
Want to learn more about all the materials streams the University of Pittsburgh is diverting from landfill? More information here!