Why are Garment Disposals Still Found in Landfills?
HKUST IEMS Thought Leadership Brief No. 99
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Every year, millions of garments are discarded. The US Environmental Protection Agency reported in 2024 that the US produced an estimated 17 million tons of textile wastes in 2018, while the European Parliament reported in 2024 that the EU generates nearly 13 million tons annually. Unwanted fashion items may hold value for others, emphasizing the need for circularity. Despite efforts to foster circularity through initiatives like recycling collection boxes and second-hand platforms, many garments are still discarded in landfills. This brief will explore the underlying reasons for this phenomenon.
About the author
Winnie Lo is currently a part-time PhD student at the Division of Public Policy at HKUST, focusing her research on the circular economy. She believes embracing a circular model in any market requires collaboration among and support from communities, businesses, and governments. Her goal is to bridge the gap between the stakeholders along supply chains by conducting research that sheds light on the benefits and challenges of circular economy practices. Besides, she serves as a full-time researcher at HKUST Li & Fung Supply Chain Institute. Her major research areas cover China’s innovative business models, cross-border e-commerce, logistics, and supply chain. She has published a book, named ‘Supply Chain Management – The Fung Group Experience (Chinese only, over 300 pages)’ in 2021. She has also contributed chapters with the theme of China’s retail logistics to the ‘Blue Book of China’s Commercial Sector’published by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Prof. Masaru Yarime is Associate Professor at the Division of Public Policy and Co-Director of the AI Ethics and Governance Lab at HKUST. He has appointments as Visiting Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Tokyo and Honorary Associate Professor at the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Public Policy at University College London. He is exploring data-driven innovation such as AI, IoT, blockchain, and smart cities for sustainability and implications for public policy and governance. He serves on the editorial board of international journals, including Sustainability Science, Environmental Science and Policy, Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, Frontiers in Sustainable Cities - Innovation and Governance, and Data & Policy. He received a B.Eng. and M.S. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Tokyo and California Institute of Technology, respectively, and a Ph.D. in Economics and Policy Studies of Innovation and Technological Change at Maastricht University.
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