One question we get asked a lot at Tower is: ‘how does PPE and workwear recycling work?’ The above video gives you a quick overview, but here’s a bit more detail on how the programme works and what happens to your materials once they leave your site.
We have made our PPE recycling scheme easy to adopt and integrate into your business. Firstly, we deliver secure recycling bins and sacks to any of your locations across the UK, with collection frequencies that fit your operation. That can be weekly, fortnightly or monthly, it all depends on how much you use.
The important thing to know is that we provide a zero landfill promise and everything is handled securely from the moment it’s picked up, to ensure branded garments don’t end up in the wrong hands.
Once collected from your site, your used PPE, workwear, and uniform, is shredded and sorted for processing. From there, the material follows one of three routes depending on its makeup and whether the fibres it is made of are high or low grade:
The below infographic explains the process. I have included a download as well underneath in case you want to take it away to look at later.
Recycling PPE isn’t only about sustainability, it also protects your organisation from identity fraud. Branded garments can be misused if they aren’t destroyed securely, which is why the service includes controlled handling, shredding and documentation at every stage for complete control and transparency.
We provide monthly or quarterly reports to show you exactly how much material has been diverted from landfill and which recycling routes were used. Since March 2025, our customers have collectively diverted more than 6,060 tonnes of PPE and workwear from landfill.
Every organisation is different, so we offer a range of bin sizes to suit everything from small facilities to large multi‑site operations. Each sack holds around 15 to 20 kilos of material and is handled securely throughout the process. Whether you’re dealing with small and steady daily volumes or occasional large clear‑outs, we can scale the service to match your needs.
Request a quote for PPE and workwear recycling, or explore the service in more detail.
