Kenya, like many African nations, has long been a leading importer of second-hand clothing, particularly from the Global North. The second-hand clothing industry, locally known as the Mitumba market, provides affordable fashion to millions and supports numerous livelihoods. However, beneath the surface of this bustling trade lies a darker, more troubling reality. Unregulated imports of synthetic and unsellable textiles, which are increasingly classified as waste rather than wearable clothing, are flooding the country, posing severe environmental and public health risks.
A recent report titled Fast Fashion, Slow Poison: The Toxic Textile Crisis in Ghana, launched in Accra, Ghana, by Greenpeace Africa and Greenpeace Germany, shines a light on the dire environmental and health impacts of the global second-hand clothing trade. While focused on Ghana, the findings of the report resonate strongly in Kenya, where similar challenges are already surfacing.
The Toxic Fallout of Fast Fashion
The report reveals that millions of items of used clothing, many of which are unsellable due to poor quality, arrive weekly at Ghana’s Kantamanto Market, one of the largest second-hand clothing markets in the world. A significant portion of these clothes, often made from synthetic materials like polyester, are discarded in informal dumps or burned in public spaces, releasing toxic fumes and harmful chemicals into the air, soil, and water. The environmental degradation is staggering, with rivers clogged by textile waste and beaches turning into plastic wastelands.
Air samples taken in Accra’s Old Fadama settlement, where discarded clothes are burned, show alarmingly high levels of carcinogens such as benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), substances that are hazardous to human health. Infrared testing of the discarded textiles revealed that nearly 90% are made from synthetic fibers, which contribute significantly to microplastic pollution in the environment.
Hellen Dena, Greenpeace Africa’s Pan-African Plastics Lead, highlighted the gravity of the situation, stating, “The toxic waste dumped in Ghana is not just an environmental issue, but a stark example of environmental injustice recklessly carried out by the Global North. Fashion brands and governments must take immediate responsibility for the damage their waste is causing in countries like Ghana.”
Kenya’s Emerging Crisis
Kenya’s Mitumba market, mirroring Ghana’s Kantamanto, is increasingly suffering from the same influx of low-quality, unsellable clothing. What was once a thriving trade in high-quality second-hand garments has shifted towards a dumping ground for toxic, synthetic textile waste. Like Ghana, Kenya lacks adequate waste management infrastructure, which exacerbates the environmental impact of the growing piles of discarded clothing. The Dandora landfill in Nairobi, one of Africa’s largest waste dumps, is already overwhelmed by plastic and textile waste, and the influx of unusable second-hand clothing only compounds the problem.
Burning these synthetic materials releases dangerous chemicals into the air, while improper disposal threatens to contaminate rivers and other water sources. The long-term effects on public health are alarming, with communities in and around informal settlements and landfills facing increased risks of respiratory diseases, cancer, and other health complications due to toxic exposure.
“The Mitumba industry brings more than clothes—it brings toxins and pollution,” Dena emphasized. “Kenya is drowning in poor-quality textiles that end up in landfills, rivers, and our communities.”
A Call for Urgent Action
The report underscores the urgent need for East African nations, including Kenya, to adopt stricter regulations on second-hand clothing imports. Without proper oversight, countries in the region risk becoming dumping grounds for hazardous textile waste. Experts argue that governments must prioritize environmental and public health protections by controlling the importation of synthetic textiles and strengthening waste management infrastructure.
Stronger international collaboration is also necessary to address this issue at its root. The fast fashion industry in the Global North, driven by overproduction and unsustainable consumption patterns, is responsible for much of the waste being dumped in Africa. A global treaty on textile waste management could help hold fashion brands and exporting countries accountable for the environmental damage caused by their discarded clothing.
As Kenya grapples with its mounting textile waste crisis, the government is being urged to take swift action. Environmentalists warn that failure to regulate the Mitumba industry could result in the creation of toxic hotspots, much like those found in Ghana, jeopardizing the health and livelihoods of countless Kenyans.
Addressing this slow-moving environmental disaster requires a multifaceted approach that includes regulation, international cooperation, and greater accountability from fashion brands. Kenya must act now to protect its ecosystems and the health of its people from the toxic legacy of fast fashion.
