Unraveling the Crisis: Textile Waste in Africa
By Andrea (Andi) Dixon, Africa Program Associate
In our pursuit to raise awareness around the textile waste crisis in Africa, our Africa Day campaign this year focused on this form of waste colonialism. We’re not just raising awareness; we’re holding the Global North accountable for this ecological disaster. Picture this: every week, Ghana is inundated with a staggering 15 million garments, a significant portion of which—up to 6 million—ends up as waste, exacerbating the already dire environmental and social issues in a country ranked 140 out of 189 on the Human Development Index.
Studies have shown that 20-50% of second-hand textile imports arriving in African countries, including Kenya and Ghana, from the Global North, are textile waste falsely disguised as reusable. The Basel and Bamako Conventions are set up to regulate global waste trade. The reality is that the Global South is inundated by the deluge of ‘donations’ that end up as unsellable waste, burdening these countries with this waste.
Recent estimates reveal a startling truth: a mere 25% of textile waste worldwide gets recycled, while the rest—three-quarters—gets shamefully dumped in landfills or burned for fuel. With synthetic fibres in fast fashion refusing to decompose, landfilling only worsens the plastic pollution nightmare. And burning these man-made fibres? It’s like pouring gasoline on the fire of climate change. Let’s face it: the textile waste crisis is just another facet of the plastic and climate catastrophe. It’s high time we recognise it as such.
Our recent webinar on the 23rd of May, was a rallying cry, drawing a global audience eager to engage with our panel of experts. We teamed up with our member organisations and partners, including Upcycle It Ghana, CEJAD in Kenya, Zero Waste Europe, End Plastic Pollution in Uganda, AKO Foundation in Ghana and From Waste to Good Taste to host an essential dialogue surrounding the impacts of waste colonialism in the form of textile waste in Africa.
We have launched an e-library dedicated to textile waste in Africa, which will be continuously updated with valuable resources. Additionally, we’ve created a comprehensive map highlighting textile waste hotspots, markets, ports, and key legislative areas. Throughout our campaign, we’ve been actively raising awareness about this critical issue on social media. If you haven’t already, follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay informed and support our efforts.
If you have any queries, concerns or contributions you’d like to add to the library and map, please reach out to: andi@no-burn.org.
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