Can we wrap our brain around the information that every year, the EU is sending 37 million pieces of clothing made out of plastic to Kenya. Used and discarded clothing that is too dirty or damaged to be worn again, is causing serious health and environmental problems for vulnerable communities in the country. Often such poor-quality clothes are burned in order to heat water, cook food, and supposedly power a power plant.

Clean Up Kenya and Wildlight investigated the matter and realized that fashion companies use cheap fabrics made of plastic based materials. Such clothes that are no longer useful are shipped from the EU end up in a condition very similar to plastic waste. Often piled up high in some places and spilling into rivers, these are a major contributor to global environmental problems. Our fast-paced, excessive shopping habits are hurting poorer countries in a big way, by polluting the soil, air, and water. Recycling firms and programs are trading a lot of old, damaged clothing. Even charity clothing often ends up in the trash. Though clothes are sorted and graded before they are sent to other countries, this does not help resolve the problem.

Clothing from Europe travels through many countries, making it hard to track where it comes from. Investigation related to textiles sent from the European Union to different countries around the world revealed that 95% of all second-hand clothing exports from the European Union to Kenya were from Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Italy, Belgium, Lithuania, Estonia, France and Ireland. Germany exported a lot of textiles to the Netherlands - much more than usual for a high-income country. Netherlands has the busiest ports in Europe and the country may well be a transit point for used textiles from EU to the third world countries.

Almost 75% of clothes are now made from plastics like nylon and polyester. Unfortunately, these materials are not easily recycled. To help reduce the amount of clothes ending up in landfills, the EU is proposing a set of measures that would require brands to pay for their waste and produce items from more sustainable materials. The fashion industry needs to change and regulate clear rules to help it recycle and reuse materials more effectively. Furthermore, the solution demands improving the way clothes are produced. We cannot simply recycle our way out of this problem. EU has proposed targets for recycling and reuse of clothing and other materials. These targets should be very clear and strict, to encourage fashion designers to use higher quality, sustainable fabrics.

Ghana, India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Kenya are some of the countries where waste textiles are sent from EU. Its time the rich nations stop using and abusing the poor and developing countries like their trash bins. It is shameful that developed first world countries talk big about environment and environmental issues but a part of their action plans simply involves dumping their problems on other nations. Trade of waste needs to be regulated and controlled ethically to end such practices.

Reference:

https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/02/16/eu-dumps-37-million-items-of-plastic-clothing-in-kenya-a-year-which-country-is-the-worst-o

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