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Tom Carper

Climate love

Carper lead recycling roundtable on improving textile circularity

U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.) and John Boozman (R-Ark.), co-chairs of the Senate Recycling Caucus, today held a roundtable discussion with stakeholders to explore ways to improve pathways for textile recycling, resale, repair, and reuse in the United States. Attendees included U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), Dacie Meng, Policy and Institutions Senior Manager for North America at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Alon Rotem, Chief Legal Officer at thredUP, Randi Marshall, Head of Government and Public Affairs for the Americas at the H&M Group, Alex Schenck, Director of Public Policy for Environment and Sustainability at Walmart, and Molly Hemstreet, Co-Executive Director of The Industrial Commons. “Every second, a dump truck of textiles ends up in a landfill, and the fashion industry is responsible for nearly ten percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions — more than the aviation sector and maritime shipping combined,” said Senator Carper. “Addressing the challenges of reducing textile waste requires private and public entities to work together, and that’s exactly what we are doing. Our roundtable discussion shed light on opportunities to improve textile recycling, and I thank Senator Boozman, Congresswoman Pingree, and all of our stakeholders for their participation.” “Having input from companies leading sustainable solutions and implementing new and innovative ways to reuse textiles is important to enhancing strategies for a more circular market,” said Senator Boozman. “I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Senate Recycling Caucus and these stakeholders to turn ideas into policies to improve the industry and the environment.” According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an estimated 14.7 percent of discarded clothing and textile products are collected for reuse and recycling annually. The United States has some infrastructure to collect, sort, grade, and recycle textile products; however, the majority of the nearly 15 percent of articles collected in the United States are sold to low-income regions around the world for resale. Only one percent of textile waste collected for new end markets goes to fiber-to-fiber recycling. This represents not only a loss of economically valuable material but also has negative social and environmental impacts. https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases-democratic?ID=851AD675-2AF6-42D2-B1B8-3C087EFC6601

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33 more agrees trigger social media ads

  • Ann Nyambura

    53 w

    Textile circularity is a win-win.

    4
    • We Don't Have Time

      53 w

      Dear johnte ndeto Your climate love has received over 50 agrees! We have reached out to Tom Carper by email and requested a response. I will keep you updated on any progress! To reach more people and increase the chance of a response, click the Share button above to share the review on your social accounts. For every new member that joins We Don't Have Time from your network, we will plant a tree and attribute it to you! /Adam, We Don't Have Time

      • CHRIS NGATIA

        53 w

        We need more bold steps that will help in fighting pollution

        5
        • Elizabeth Gathigia

          53 w

          This is bold step that will reduce pollution of dumped unused textiles in the environment, thus the move leads to a more sustainable future

          4
          • Edwin wangombe

            53 w

            Recycling in the textile industry is essential and kudos to Tom for encouraging this

            3
            • walter lungayi

              53 w

              Improving textile circularity is a bold step towards creating a more sustainable and environmentally friendly fashion industry. Textile waste is a significant issue that needs to be addressed, and recycling is one of the key solutions. By bringing together experts and stakeholders, this roundtable has the potential to generate new ideas and strategies for improving recycling methods and increasing the lifespan of textiles. This is an important initiative that can help reduce the industry's carbon footprint and move towards a more sustainable future.

              3
              • George Kariuki

                53 w

                I hope that the roundtable discussion will lead to concrete actions to improve textile circularity in the United States.

                4
                • zelda ninga

                  53 w

                  It might come to a surprise to learn that around 85% of textiles thrown away in the U.S. are dumped into landfills or burned — including unused textiles and unsold clothes. Furthermore, it is estimated that the average American throws away about 37kg/81 pounds of clothes every year– that’s the weight of an 11-year-old child! And that’s only counting the U.S.

                  5
                  • Videlis Eddie

                    53 w

                    recycling in the textile industry is essential in fighting pollution and landfills in the world

                    11
                    • Gorffly mokua

                      53 w

                      Carper's lead in organizing a roundtable on improving textile circularity is a commendable step towards a more sustainable future. By addressing the challenges in recycling textiles, we're not only reducing waste but also conserving valuable resources.

                      13