Hyderabad faces new environmental concern, 720 tonnes of textile waste pile up daily
Hyderabad: In addition to the plastic waste, Hyderabad is also facing a growing environmental challenge as tonnes of used and discarded clothes pile up across the dumping yards in the city.
According to officials, an estimated 720 tonnes of textile waste are sent to the city's dumping yards daily. The discarded clothes are causing disruptions in waste management efforts at the dumping yards.
Previously, the administration had started a 'Wall of Kindness' initiative, which in a way helped manage textile waste as people donated their old clothes for others in need. However, the programme was discontinued in 2018, and the used clothes are now ending up in dumping yards.
The officials believe that 30 per cent of the textile waste is reusable, but they are now being discarded due to a lack of proper collection and recycling systems.
The city generates approximately 8,000 tonnes of waste daily, out of which 720 tonnes consist of textile waste. It takes around 200 to 500 years for the plastic waste to decompose in soil.
Surprisingly, textile waste also poses a significant environmental challenge as it needs 20 to 200 years for decomposition while synthetic fabrics such as nylon and polyester take much longer to break down.
For decades, street hawkers have been selling second-hand clothes in areas like Secunderabad Market Road, Koti, Abids Main Road, Erragadda, and Afzalgunj, while others repurposed used sarees to make bedsheets etc.
In his recent 'Mann Ki Baat' broadcast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised concerns about textile waste. According to a study, “only less than 1 per cent of textile waste is recycled into new clothes… less than even one per cent. India is the third country in the world where the maximum textile waste is generated. But I am happy that many commendable efforts are being undertaken in our country to deal with this challenge.”
Srinivasa Reddy, Executive Engineer at Solid Waste Management, GHMC, emphasized the need for both government and private organisations to adopt the "RRR" principles of reuse, recycle, and reduce.
He added that there is currently only one recycling plant and suggested increasing its capacity to effectively address the city's textile waste issue effectively.