The United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) on Friday raised alarm over mounting textile waste in urban landfills and rivers, warning that it threatens the sustainable growth of cities, News.az reports citing Xinhua.
Ahead of World Cleanup Day 2025, observed globally on Sept. 20, UN-Habitat convened policymakers, youth leaders, waste picker associations, circular fashion designers, and diplomats for a debate at the UN Office in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, followed by a community cleanup with residents.
Participants noted that fast fashion and throwaway consumption are fueling inequality, while a circular economy could curb waste and pollution while transforming urban livelihoods.
"Reusing and recycling textiles can cut landfill pressure on cities and build cleaner, healthier neighborhoods -- especially in informal settlements and slums," Anaclaudia Rossbach, executive director of UN-Habitat, said in a statement issued in Nairobi.
Rossbach added that tackling textile waste requires systemic change to protect people and the planet, while delivering on the Sustainable Development Goal for cities, which calls for waste and pollution reduction to build cleaner, healthier, and greener urban spaces for everyone.
Established in 2023 by the UN General Assembly, World Cleanup Day aims to spotlight global waste management challenges through coordinated voluntary action and awareness campaigns.
This year's theme, "Tackling Textile and Fashion Waste Through Circular Fashion," highlights an often-overlooked driver of urban pollution, inequality, and climate stress. More than 100 cleanup events will be held globally as part of this year's celebrations, the agency added.
