Textile waste has been accumulating in this iconic place for at least 15 years, although now its proportion is much higher, affecting a total of 300 hectares.
Thousands of tons of textile waste – mostly from the United States, Europe or Asia – end up there.
But why there? Because Chile is the largest importer of used clothing in South America. But it is estimated that of the 59,000 tons that enter each year, more than half goes to clandestine dumps.
Now let’s ask ourselves, how does this affect the environment? It is worth remembering that the fashion industry is one of the most polluting in the world. According to the United Nations Organization (UN), it is responsible for 8% of greenhouse gases and 20% of total water waste globally.
In addition, today much of the clothing is made of polyester, a type of plastic resin that is obtained from oil, and that has great advantages over cotton. The problem is that it takes more than 200 years to disintegrate, while cotton takes about 30 months. In the Atacama, these polyester garments are wearing out without control, releasing microplastics that are dispersed in the atmosphere, seriously affecting the fauna of the area.
Likewise, since in Chile it is forbidden to throw textile waste in legal landfills, the only solution they found to face this problem is burning. This gives rise to annual fires of great proportions, whose smoke can generate cardiorespiratory diseases among the inhabitants of the area.
And us, what can we do? Becoming aware of the impact of the textile industry, rethinking our consumption, choosing durable and good quality garments, buying from local businesses and taking care of what we have, we are links in a long chain of consumption that needs to be rethought.
Get informed and remember, it’s never too late to change your habits.
