UK rejects textile clean up recommendations

Despite 300,000 metric tons of "throwaway fashion" burned or buried across the United Kingdom every year, government ministers have rejected calls for a tax on clothing sales to tackle the environmental damage caused.

An environmental audit committee report produced by members of Parliament urged the UK government to end the era of throwaway clothes and poor working conditions in the fashion supply chain, with proposals designed to force the fashion industry to clean up its act.

It made 18 recommendations covering environmental and labor practices including a ban on incinerating unsold stock or sending it to landfill, and mandatory environmental targets for fashion retailers with a turnover above 36 million pounds ($45 million).  It recommended that a one pence (1.2 US cents) charge be placed on every item of clothing sold to raise investment for textile recycling.

Greenpeace claims Britain buys more clothes per person than any other country in Europe and says 73 percent of textile fibres used to produce more than 100 billion garments each year end up in landfill or incinerators after they have been used.

The committee's chair, Labour MP Mary Creagh, said fashion producers should be forced to clear up the mountains of waste they create.

"The government is content to tolerate practices that trash the environment and exploit workers despite having just committed to net zero emission targets.It is out of step with the public," Creagh said.

The government responded by stating it was already dealing with the impacts of fast fashion and working with the industry to reduce waste, and said it had increased resources to ensure all British workers were paid at least the minimum wage.

A government spokesperson said: "It simply isn't true to say we are not accepting the committee's recommendations.

"In our landmark resources and waste strategy we will take forward measures including developing proposals and consulting on extended producer responsibility (EPR) and higher product standards for textiles.

"Considering the global nature of the sector and its supply chains, the industry has the primary role to play in achieving change, helped by consumer behavior and underpinned by support, where appropriate, from government."

The British Retail Consortium, the trade body for the retail sector, said it admitted retailers recognize "more needs to be done".

"Our members are increasing the use of sustainable materials, designing garments that are made to last, and encouraging customers to return unwanted clothes for reuse, so they can turn old t-shirts into new ones,"said Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium.

"The industry will work with the government as part of the resources and waste strategy to reduce waste and will continue to find ways to make fashion more sustainable."