Textile waste is one of the fastest-growing categories in modern municipal waste systems. The problem in Australia is particularly acute, with residents purchasing an average of 22.7 kg of new clothing and textiles per person every year — nearly double the global average. Each year, approximately 800,000 tonnes of leather and textiles are sold across the country, but only about 160,000 tonnes are recovered or recycled.
Certain items are far more likely to be recycled than others. Large-scale commercial textile contracts, such as corporate uniforms and hotel linen schemes, achieve recycling rates close to 65%. In contrast, high-volume "fast fashion" consumer apparel (which includes cheap synthetic blends and accessories that easily fit into normal household rubbish bins) sees a recycling rate of less than 12%. This low rate results in substantial external costs, including microplastics leaching into soil and waterways, methane emissions from decomposing organic fibres in landfills, and chemical pollution from fabric dyes.
To address this market failure, policy makers are considering various interventions. These options include mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, landfill taxes, environmental education campaigns, and subsidies for textile-to-textile recycling technologies.
With reference to Extract D, discuss possible methods of government intervention to reduce textile waste.
