Fast fashion has been linked to grave environmental injustice, as evidenced by discarded clothes found in protected wetlands of Ghana, clothing that UK customers had thrown away and sent abroad. Clothing from UK companies, including Next, George at Asda, and Marks & Spencer, was found among trash heaps in these environmentally delicate locations during an Unearthed and Greenpeace Africa study.
From High Streets to Wetlands: The Journey of UK Clothing Waste
Approximately 1.5 million tons of old textiles are discarded annually by UK consumers. About 650,000 are designated for recycling or reuse, while 730,000 are burned or dumped in landfills. More than two-thirds, over 420,000 tons, are exported, with Ghana receiving a larger proportion than any other nation. What is intended for secondhand resale often turns into unmanageable garbage.
Kantamanto, one of the most significant secondhand marketplaces in the world, is the hub of Ghana’s used clothing trade, receiving more than 1,000 tons of apparel per week. A local shopkeeper claims that the quality has drastically decreased. They said that while clothing used to be sufficient to support their family, it now deteriorates the moment the bales are opened.
Ramsar Sites at Risk: Why This Dumping Is Devastating
According to an intergovernmental agreement, the debris has made its way to Ghana’s Densu Delta, a Ramsar site, a wetland of worldwide significance. Curlew sandpipers, uncommon roseate terns migrating from the UK, endangered leatherbacks, and green turtles can all be found in this biodiverse zone. Two recently opened dumps were discovered in the protected wetland region, while a third was found upstream along the river that leads into the conservation reserve.
Discarded clothes found in protected wetlands of Ghana now threaten rare habitats. According to drone imagery, the Akkaway dump, Ghana’s most recent location, was situated within the marsh. Without liners or pollution control, piles of used clothes were discarded on exposed ground near lagoons and streams. Even though it seemed to go against Ghanaian environmental legislation and its Ramsar responsibilities to locate a landfill in a protected region, a Weija Gbawe municipal assembly representative acknowledged that they were in charge of the site. The assembly did not answer formal requests for comment.
Also Read: From Trash To Trend: Breakthrough Recycled Textile Innovations You Should Know
Communities Caught in the Fallout
Those who depend on the wetlands raised concerns. Since dumping started upstream, fishing nets now bring fish intermingled with clothes, according to a local who has lived close to the delta for seven years. He clarified that the once-drinkable river water has turned black and is unfit for human consumption.
Residents near the Weija Ashbread landfill recalled that the area used to have birds, rabbits, and bush cats. A 19-year-old student said the area has changed significantly: when it rains, mosquitoes proliferate, and the stink is overpowering. For communities that once relied on the land and water, the damage is not just environmental; it’s personal.
Solomon Noi, the head of waste management in Accra, estimated that 100 tons of clothing are discarded as rubbish every day. The city can only process 30 tons; the remaining 70 are in marshes, sewers, and the ocean.
Discarded clothes found in protected wetlands of Ghana are ecological and deeply social, affecting livelihoods and public health.
UK Brands, Accountability, and the Illusion of Recycling
Unearthed reporters found apparel from M&S, Zara, H&M, and Primark at other landfills. Brands responded by admitting that handling textile waste presents industry-wide issues. M&S emphasized its repair services and take-back programs with partners like Oxfam and said it doesn’t transfer excess product to landfills or other nations. George at Asda stated that they run over 800 recycling banks and haven’t raised output or seen an increase in ten years. They said they favored investigating textile Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), as long as levies fund recycling in the UK.
Primark clarified that apparel from their unsold inventory or take-back programs cannot be shipped to Ghana or any other African nation. They added that industry-wide cooperation is necessary for real success.
H&M acknowledged that there aren’t enough scalable recycling options and that their items frequently wind up in areas with inadequate waste management systems. Inditex, Zara’s parent company, supports government-mandated EPR, pointing out that a circular economy requires consistent laws. They are investing in infrastructure and recycling technology.
Meanwhile, discarded clothes found in protected wetlands of Ghana remain unaddressed on the ground, highlighting the limitations of voluntary action.
Also Read: Growing Our Clothes: The Potential Of Bio-Based Textiles And Sustainable Fashion
Toward Solutions: Local and Global Action Needed
A delegation of Ghanaian businesspeople visited Brussels in 2023 to urge the EU to enact EPR laws that would make fashion brands responsible for the effects of their goods’ end-of-life. The UK Textile Recyclers Association has requested that the government consider such frameworks.
New dump sites are popping up, many of them illegally located in environmentally sensitive areas, even though Ghana has only one properly constructed landfill and another under development. Unless immediate legislative reforms are made, these ecosystems and communities will continue to be burdened by fashion trash produced hundreds of kilometers away.
Conclusion: A Crisis Too Big to Ignore
What was formerly invisible is now undeniable: discarded clothes found in protected wetlands of Ghana highlight a worldwide issue stemming from rapid fashion, excessive consumerism, and malfunctioning waste systems. The question of who bears the real cost of inexpensive clothing remains, as mountains of synthetic clothing suffocate beaches, rivers, and wildlife.
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