EU restrictions on second-hand clothes exports to impact Kenya

France, Denmark, and Sweden have proposed restricting the export of used clothing from the European Union (EU), citing concerns about environmental pollution and social impact. This move could potentially harm Kenya’s clothing resale industry, which employs around 2 million people.

The EU’s export of used textiles has more than doubled since 2000, reaching 1.4 million tonnes in 2022. However, exporting to developing countries can lead to pollution when unsold clothes end up in landfills. The proposed restriction aims to apply the Basel Convention, banning hazardous textile waste exports and requiring prior consent for importing textile waste.

Denmark’s representative emphasized the environmental, social, and health problems caused by exporting textile waste to developing countries. The goal is to reduce or end exports of used clothes from the EU and promote textile recycling within the bloc.

Source: Reuters