Recycling of Low Grade Clothing Waste - Oakdene Hollins

More documents

Recommendations

Info

© Oakdene Hollins Ltd, Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd Nonwovens Innovation & Research Institute Ltd September 2006 • Establish how existing policy framework is applied to textile wastes diverted from MSW to recycling and re‐use • Forecast, through a review of the existing market structure and data obtained from the second‐hand clothing collectors, the likely changes in domestic textile waste arisings due to World Trade Organisation (WTO) changes, in particular the ending of the Multi Fibre Arrangement, and to consider the sociological effects of these changes • Identify how much additional textile waste is likely to be redirected to MSW and whether this will continue after market adjustments. • Identify, through liaison with waste contractors, the implications for non‐thermal MSW treatment technologies from an increase in textile wastes in residual MSW. • Identify the marginal increase in collection costs if textiles were to be included in various kerbside and bring collection systems. • Identify the impact on substitute collection systems (charity shops and bring systems) should Local Authorities start a new service of collecting textiles as part of a kerbside system. • Investigate appropriate policy interventions that could address identified market failures, to consider economic instruments ‐ such as producer responsibility ‐ as alternative policy measures and to compare costs and outcomes of such measures based on the existing policy framework. Technical and Market Development Study To research and develop new nonwoven textile materials which will seek higher value end product applications thereby improving the markets for recycled grades of clothing. Specifically to: • Produce nonwoven materials from recycled clothing fibres utilising a novel process • Identify six markets for the new nonwoven materials • Identify promising potential partners or customers within those markets and provide them with product samples • Obtain feedback from potential customers on performance • Prioritise markets and customers for detailed development work and identify methods of taking forward promising projects. 1.2 Report Layout The report is divided into three volumes as follows: Volume I Economic and Market Analysis Sections 3 to 7 Volume II Policy Intervention Section 8 Volume III Technical and Market Development Sections 9 to 12 For Defra Page 6
© Oakdene Hollins Ltd, Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd Nonwovens Innovation & Research Institute Ltd September 2006 Each volume includes a conclusions section, references and appendices, where appropriate, for each element of the project. Overall project findings and proposals are set out below, with key messages and data gaps that need to be filled, shown in bold type. 1.3 Findings 1.3.1 Economic and Market Analysis General The findings of this market study independently confirm that a combination of increasing affluence and lower prices of clothing and other textiles is causing a significant increase in the volume of textile products consumed in the UK. Specifically, new clothing sales volumes in the UK have increased by 60% in ten years. This has the potential to greatly increase the volume of textiles in the waste stream if all the new textiles consumed were discarded to waste. The secondary textile industry, which operates in a free market, collects just 17% of all textiles consumed domestically, with the balance being either stockpiled or discarded to the household waste stream. The study also confirms adverse perceptions within the secondary textiles industry of the economic and market situation and the impact of the ending of the Multi‐Fibre Arrangement. Although the industry is currently enjoying firm prices for used clothing, particularly in Eastern European markets, arising from the shortage of suitable quality material, these are seen as being short‐lived. In the longer term there is likely to be a decline due to falling prices in new clothing coupled with reducing product quality of used clothing being collected, and rising costs at all levels. Indeed, prices of new clothing are likely to continue to fall over the next five years. This has a double effect of placing higher volumes and lower qualities of used clothing on the markets which in turn is driving used clothing prices down thus affecting the long term viability of the textile recycling industry. Charity shops are responding by moving into the sale of alternative used products, such as books, toys and electronic media and into new products such as greeting cards and fair trade commodities. As a result, they are reducing the percentage of sales from used clothing. Some textile merchants are responding by closing down sorting activities and by shipping unsorted material directly to overseas traders or to sorting operations in low labour cost countries. For Defra Page 7
Page 1 and 2: © Oakdene Hollins Ltd, Salvation A
Page 7: © Oakdene Hollins Ltd, Salvation A
Page 59 and 60:
© Oakdene Hollins Ltd, Salvation A
Page 61 and 62:
Page 63 and 64:
Page 65 and 66:
Page 67 and 68:
Page 69 and 70:
Page 71 and 72:
Page 73 and 74:
Page 75 and 76:
Page 77 and 78:
Page 79 and 80:
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
Page 85 and 86:
Page 87 and 88:
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
Page 95 and 96:
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99 and 100:
Page 101 and 102:
Page 103 and 104:
Page 105 and 106:
Page 107 and 108:
Page 109 and 110:
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114:
Page 115 and 116:
Page 117 and 118:
Page 119 and 120:
Page 121 and 122:
Page 123 and 124:
Page 125 and 126:
Page 127 and 128:
Page 129 and 130:
Page 131 and 132:
Page 133 and 134:
Page 135 and 136:
Page 137 and 138:
Page 139 and 140:
Page 141 and 142:
Page 143:
show all

Recycling of Low Grade Clothing Waste - Oakdene Hollins

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?