At the launch of the organisation’s report on the harmful effects of fast fashion, Hellen Kahaso Dena, Head - Pan-African Plastics Project, Greenpeace Africa, urged the Ghanaian government to ban the import of unusable clothing and textile waste from the Global North.
Highlighting the environmental and health risks posed by improperly managed textile waste, Dena warned, If not effectively dealt with, this waste could lead to soil and water contamination, threatening ecosystems and public health.
Ghana is being overwhelmed by fast fashion waste, with microplastics from these textiles contaminating the air, food, and water, especially affecting children, she said. Theused clothing trade in the country mostly involves smuggling, which makes difficult to trace the origins of these garment articles, she notes further adding, this makes Africa a dumping ground for Europe's unwanted textiles.
Often, textile waste is misclassified or falsely labeled as used clothing to avoid stricter regulations governing waste exports, when in fact it is unusable garbage. Dena urged the Ghanaian government to adopt the ‘polluter pays principle’ to hold those responsible for environmental damage accountable and to implement systems that mitigate the risks associated with the international trade of second-hand clothing. She called for greater action to promote sustainable fashion practices in the country.
