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Household textile waste in Mexico City: generation, composition, and implications for urban waste management
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Researchers found that Mexico City households throw away about 3.1 kg of textiles per person each year, mostly clothing made from synthetic (plastic-based) fibers rather than natural materials like cotton. This matters because a lot of this discarded clothing was still in good condition and could have been reused or recycled instead of ending up in landfills, where synthetic fibers can break down into microplastics that pollute soil and water—and potentially make their way into the food and water we consume.
The accelerated growth of the textile sector has led to environmental impacts such as consumption of natural resources, water pollution, microplastics and waste generation, and climate change. However, there is a lack of field-based studies that quantify and characterize household textiles in developing countries. This study estimated the generation and composition of household textile waste in Mexico City through a field-study that included all 16 boroughs of the city, across two seasons (dry and rainy). The citýs boroughs were analyzed according to their socio-economic levels. Waste was classified by state of conservation, application and type of fiber. Household textile waste was estimated at 77.34 ton/day (or 3.1 kg/person/year), accounting for 1.4% - 2.4% of total household waste in Mexico City. According to the state of conservation potential for reuse or recovery in household waste is high. The prevalent type of textiles found in household waste were clothing and special-purpose textiles (backpacks, bags, bandages, and accessories). Synthetic fibers were predominant regardless of socio-economic level and season. The high prevalence of clothing and the relative low prevalence of textile waste in poor conditions are consistent with the literature. The findings highlight the need to conduct field-based studies to quantify and characterize textile waste for development of integrated waste management strategies.
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