A council in Kent is taking an innovative approach to road maintenance by using recycled clothing to fill potholes.
According to Kent Live, Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) is trialling the innovative method with sustainable materials company RECOOL to see whether old clothes can become an environmentally friendly alternative. The practice runs are taking place on council-owned land in Mote Park and Penenden Heath, as the public roads are maintained by Kent County Council.
Installed in partnership with contractor Loughman, the material uses recycled textile waste to fill most of the pothole, with a specialist surfacing layer applied on top. According to the charity Waste and Resources Action Programme, the UK generates around 1.45 million tonnes of used textiles every year, with almost half ending up in general waste.
Maidstone Borough councillor Cllr Rachel Rodwell said:
“While second-hand selling sites have helped extend the life of many clothes, fast fashion means huge amounts of textiles are still being thrown away every year. This pilot is about turning that problem into an opportunity.”
(Picture: Maidstone Borough Council)
