According to studies, Australia is the nation that purchases the most new clothing per person of any other nation. As a result, significant effort is required to solve Australia's plus-sized role in the fast fashion waste epidemic, reported Shepparton News.
According to data from the Australia Institute, the country is now the world's largest consumer of textiles per person, surpassing even the United States.
Every year, over 1.4 billion new clothing units are sold in Australia, and over 200,000 tonnes of that merchandise ends up in landfills.
"We're addicted to stuff that is bad for the environment and our health," stated Nina Gbor, director of the Australia Institute Circular Economy & Waste Program.
To reduce the waste produced by the fast fashion industry, a tax has been proposed. (AAP Photos/Dean Lewins).
"We need to drastically reduce waste at the source by penalising brands mass-producing incredibly cheap and poor quality clothing that is often worn just a handful of times or never sells and goes straight to the tip."
According to research by Ms. Gbor and Olivia Chollet, Australians purchase 56 new clothing items annually on average, which is greater than the US (53), UK (33) and China (30). The average item value in Australia is only $13, but it is $40 in the UK, $24 in the USA, and $30 in Japan.
The study makes the case that creating a market for recovered textile goods and investing in domestic production and recycling infrastructure are crucial to building a circular economy.
"If the policies aimed at creating a circular economy are to be more than greenwash, the meaningful regulation and taxation of problematic textiles is needed, as is substantial investment in more environmentally and socially responsible alternatives," the article adds.
According to data conducted by the institute, an independent think tank focused on public policy, approximately 63% of Australians express concern or extreme concern regarding the environmental effects of textile waste.
Merely 46% of respondents were able to pinpoint petroleum as the origin of polyester, and a mere 27% were aware that over 50% of clothing sold in Australia is composed of plastic.
The study claims that Australia's waste problem would only worsen until there is a significant decrease in the overproduction and overconsumption of textiles.
In order to reduce clothing waste and finance domestic recycling projects, Ms. Gbor said the government's planned four cents per garment fee under the Seamless scheme was a good place to start.
"But the levy is too low to change brand behaviour," she stated.
"It ought to be substantially raised to at least fifty cents each item. This is necessary to make the business pay attention, along with other policies like a tax on rapid fashion."
According to Ms. Gbor, clothing made of petroleum-based plastic ends up in landfills, pollutes beaches and oceans, and increases emissions./BGNES