Their considerations embody information integrity, inadequate stakeholder inclusion, lack of methodological transparency and danger of battle of curiosity.
The UNEP has been urged by a number of organisations and key people from throughout the globe to droop the development of the worldwide guidelines to distinguish used textiles from textile waste drafted by the UN physique’s Circularity and Used Textile Trade Project.
Their considerations embody information integrity, inadequate stakeholder inclusion, lack of methodological transparency and danger of battle of curiosity.
The signatories expressed their critical considerations concerning the venture due to its important international implications as they don’t consider the method has been carried out with full rigour and impartiality, main to the doable proposal of unworkable international guidelines that danger severely affecting the livelihoods of tens of millions concerned within the assortment, sorting, import-export and sale of second-hand clothes, whereas additionally undermining real circularity and entry to inexpensive clothes.
They referred to as on the UNEP to guarantee full transparency by publishing the analysis methodologies, information sources and definitions used in all 4 nations, enabling impartial scrutiny and peer overview.
They additionally demanded participating impartial, regionally-grounded specialists and practitioners to assist the event of genuinely inclusive, evidence-based international guidelines that replicate the complicated realities of the second-hand textiles commerce
Textile waste figures cited within the venture are inconsistent with earlier research and established business observations. Key information has been offered with out disclosure of assortment strategies, analytical processes, or validation, limiting stakeholders’ capacity to have interaction meaningfully.
Although stakeholders have been consulted by means of workshops and a survey, actors report not being included in significant participation. While international dialogues are complicated, consultations have been marked by rushed timelines, restricted entry to draft supplies and the dominance of sure voices, thereby hindering the gathering of complete, neutral enter, the letter famous.
Foundational definitions of ‘waste’ seem to have been utilized with out disclosure or overview, at the same time as international standards are being proposed, it stated.
In Ghana, analysis and stakeholder dialogues had been led by a non-governmental organisation with a pre-existing waste advocacy marketing campaign and financially supported by the ultra-fast trend business.
Signatories embody the Ghana Used Clothing Dealers Association, the Mitumba Consortium Association of Kenya, the Togo Used Clothing Dealers Association, Landfills2Landmarks, Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles (SMART-USA), the Bureau of International Recycling, Recycling Europe (previously EuRIC) and the Nordic Textile Network.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)