RELEASE: KHANNA CALLS FOR APPAREL WASTE TO BE ADDRESSED AS PART OF NATIONAL RECYCLING STRATEGY
Washington, DC – November 4, 2021 – Today, Representative Ro Khanna, Chairman of the House Oversight Subcommittee on the Environment, urged Administrator Regan at the Environmental Protection Agency and Secretary Raimondo at the Department of Commerce to consider the problem of apparel waste as they work to finalize a national recycling strategy. In his letter, Khanna points to the huge environmental impact of fast fashion and highlights opportunities to recycle or repurpose apparel.
"Despite the potential for recycling or reuse, the recycling rate for all textiles is just 14.7 percent," Khanna writes. "The EPA estimates that 17 million tons of textiles were generated in 2018, representing nearly six percent of the country's total municipal solid waste for that year. More than half of all fast fashion products are disposed of by consumers in less than a year. The fashion industry is responsible for ten percent of global carbon emissions and 20 percent of all wastewater."
Full text of Khanna's letter to Administrator Regan and Secretary Raimondo is below.
November 4, 2021
Hon. Michael S. Regan
Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20460
Hon. Gina M. Raimondo
Secretary
Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20230
Dear Administrator Regan and Secretary Raimondo,
As you work to finalize a national recycling strategy, I ask that you give particular consideration to apparel waste and opportunities to increase recycling and reuse of textiles. Textile waste especially can be reduced by recycling. Nearly 95 percent of all apparel waste can be recycled or reused.
Despite the potential for recycling or reuse, the recycling rate for all textiles is just 14.7 percent. The EPA estimates that 17 million tons of textiles were generated in 2018, representing nearly six percent of the country's total municipal solid waste for that year. More than half of all fast fashion products are disposed of by consumers in less than a year. The fashion industry is responsible for ten percent of global carbon emissions and 20 percent of all wastewater.
As you know, plastic pollution is on the rise across the globe and in the United States. Plastic-based textiles are the most widely used fibers in the world. The annual production of polyester alone represents a share of 52 percent of the global fiber production. It is estimated that textiles are responsible for 2.2 million tons of microplastic pollution entering the ocean each year.
Recycling and repurposing apparel provides economic opportunities to communities and can create sustainable jobs. The secondhand market is projected to double in the next five years, from $36 billion today to $77 billion by the end of 2025. Demand is growing for apparel products that can be reused. The environmental footprint of a reused clothing item is a small fraction of new clothing.
Thank you for your attention to this letter. I request that you reply with an update for your agency's plan to address apparel waste and finalizing a national recycling strategy. I respectfully ask that you give my request your full and fair consideration, consistent with applicable statues and regulations. I look forward to working with you on this important issue.
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