First US GAO report calls for federal collaboration for reduction and recycling to combat textile waste

The first-ever report on textile waste from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is urging collaboration on a federal level to reduce textile consumption and increase recycling to minimize the impacts of textile waste.

Textile waste, including discarded clothing, footwear, and other woven and non-woven textiles, has steadily risen in the United States over the past two decades, according to academic and federal reports GAO reviewed.

Left to rot in landfills, this waste negatively impacts the environment through the emission of greenhouse gases and the contamination of soil and water. Although data on textile waste remains limited, estimates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicate a more than 50 percent increase between 2000 and 2018.

Federal, academic, nonprofit, and industry sources attribute this rise to several factors, including the growth of the fast fashion business model, inadequate and fragmented systems for textile collection and sorting, and the underdeveloped state of textile recycling technologies.

Although some federal agencies have begun to tackle textile waste and are looking into different action steps, more work remains to be done. For example, in 2021, the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology organized a workshop on reducing textile waste, bringing together participants from industry, academia, government, and trade associations, and is currently researching textile recycling methods.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of State coordinates an informal interagency group dedicated to extending the lifespan of products and materials, which held a meeting focused on textiles in March 2024. According to officials, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) aims to develop a national textile recycling strategy within the next five to ten years.

However, the GAO report found that most federal agencies' efforts regarding textile waste and recycling are in the early stages, with approaches varying based on their respective missions and areas of expertise. Additionally, these initiatives are often deprioritized in favor of other objectives.

While some federal entities attempted to formalize an interagency group in 2022, these efforts have since stalled. In the report, the GAO identified potential for interagency collaboration, recommending that adopting best practices for collaboration could enhance resource sharing and strengthen the federal government's ability to reduce textile waste and advance recycling initiatives.

In addition, the GAO recommends that Congress provide guidance to a federal agency, or multiple agencies, to oversee and drive federal efforts to reduce textile waste and promote textile recycling. The GAO has also issued seven recommendations to six federal entities, including establishing coordination through an interagency mechanism that adheres to best practices.