Welcoming a report published today by the Environmental Audit Committee into the sustainability of the fashion industry, local London Assembly Member Unmesh Desai AM, said:
“This report is a wake-up call for major retailers to provide the means for their customers to recycle old and unwanted clothing. In our community, we are seeing the scourge of clothes being dumped on our streets, where these could otherwise either be donated or repurposed.
“There is every chance this is contributing to Newham’s significant number of fly-tipping incidents, of which there were 15206 reported between 2017 and 2018 alone.
“As members of the community, we have a responsibility to ensure our public realm is kept clean, but today’s findings show that fashion retailers also have a substantial role to play.
“To go further in tackling this issue, we also need the Government to put the framework in place for a circular economy for fashion. This would go towards protecting the planet and could save Londoners money”.
ENDS
Notes to editors
-According to the latest statistics published by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, there were 15206 fly-tipping incidents reported in 2017/2018;
-Unmesh Desai AM is the London Assembly Member for Newham
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