Case Study
Chile: Textile waste and illegal landfills
Created by
Cris Miranda
,
2024
Over the last few years, the secondhand market has grown considerably thanks to shifting consumer perceptions influenced by increasing environmental consciousness. While participating in the secondhand market is a good practice, it’s important to recognise that it is not a perfect system. Some clothing collection programmes and recycling facilities are not fully transparent about their practices, and can’t guarantee that they are truly minimising the amount of textiles that go into landfills.
In this case study we
interview Cris Miranda, who exposes the issue of how secondhand clothing imports that find their way to Chile often end up abandoned in illegal landfills scattered across the Atacama Desert. While some of these unwanted textiles can be resold through local markets, the rest end up clogging landfills or waterways. This highlights how overseas exporting does not solve the problem of waste, but instead passes the burden to other places.
1. What is the current situation in Chile when it comes to secondhand imports?
The present situation in Chile is undeniably alarming: over 160,000 tons of used clothing entered the country between 2015 and 2022, with numbers continuously increasing.
Credit: Martin Bernetti/AFP
Mainly sourced from European and American markets, a staggering 60% of these imports fail to find their way into Chilean commerce channels.
While around 40% does make its way into circulation through secondhand stores or informal markets like Quebradilla in Alto Hospicio, the remaining majority meets a grim fate: abandonment in illegal landfills scattered across the Atacama desert.
Following the conflagration of the biggest landfill, hundreds of micro-landfills have proliferated, encroaching upon the city’s outskirts and encircling nearby public housing projects. This unchecked expansion of clandestine dumping grounds poses multifaceted threats, ranging from environmental degradation to public health hazards, and requires urgent action.
Addressing this crisis demands collaborative efforts from both government authorities and civil society to mitigate the detrimental impacts and pave the way towards a more sustainable future.
2. What initiatives are currently in place to manage or prevent waste?
Numerous initiatives are sprouting, each contributing to environmental sustainability in its own way — from grassroots efforts led by local recyclers who are ingeniously repurposing waste for their creative ventures, to more institutionalised activism like Desierto Vestido, spearheaded by local advocate Angela Astudillo.
Credit: Cris Miranda
Spurred by global outcry over the colossal landfill, local authorities and the Chilean government have awakened to a newfound sense of urgency, acknowledging past oversights and committing to rectify them.
One such endeavour I participated in as a judge and speaker was the Runway Fashion Design (RFD) programme held in April 2024. Here, local designers and artisans embarked on a mission, guided by experts on sustainability and the circular economy, to craft scalable ready-to-wear collections solely from clothes salvaged from micro-landfills in Alto Hospicio.
Change is undoubtedly underway, but more is needed.
3. In your opinion, what are the solutions for this waste crisis?
In my personal view, addressing the Atacama Desert’s environmental crisis requires both short-term and long-term strategies.
In the short term, education will be a pivotal tool, spanning from grassroots initiatives in local schools to comprehensive public awareness campaigns. These efforts must instil an understanding of the ecological significance of the Atacama Desert within the broader South American context. We must also cultivate a conscientious mindset regarding overconsumption, advocating for a shift towards quality-centric consumption habits, whether in the purchase of new garments or the embrace of secondhand alternatives.
Looking at longer-term solutions, the initiatives spearheaded by the local government hold promise. The establishment of a new industrial park in Alto Hospicio signifies a proactive step towards sustainable development. This industrial hub, which houses textile recycling facilities geared towards the production of industrial materials such as fire insulation solutions, embodies both environmental stewardship and economic innovation. Furthermore, incentivising local entrepreneurs to venture into projects centred on textile management amplifies the region’s capacity for sustainable growth.
My firsthand observations during my visit to the region were that there is a palpable sense of collective determination. Various stakeholders, from government to grassroots organisations, are converging their efforts to combat the environmental crisis plaguing the Atacama Desert. This concerted endeavour reflects a shared vision for environmental preservation and sustainable progress.
About the Contributor
Cris Miranda, fashion designer, illustrator, and professor, prioritises sustainability in his work. Some highlights are his inclusive collections and his participation in the Redress Design Award 2022, where he won the People’s Choice Award. His work reflects a syncretism of his experiences living in Japan, the interculturality of his Latin American roots, and a deep introspection of his identity and emotions, promoting garments that are both conscious of the environment and the people who wear them.
