Experts address need to recycle 70% of discarded textiles as alternative fuel

South Korea, a major consumer of plastic, is being urged to find balanced approaches to managing its environmental impact instead of focusing solely on reducing usage.

The Future Study Association, in collaboration with Maeil Business Newspaper, will host the Plastic Forum at the Korea Textile Center in Seoul on Friday.

This event, held in preparation for the upcoming United Nations Environment Assembly in Busan on November 25, also aims to explore solutions to plastic-induced pollution and propose informed policy options for the Korean government.

In an interview ahead of the forum, Professor Emeritus Park Chung-hee of Seoul National University’s Department of Clothing and Textiles highlighted the benefits of recycling used textiles but said that “a simpler recycling process is crucial for sustainability.”

Globally, 60 to 70 percent of discarded clothing ends up in landfills or incinerated, and Park believes reducing this rate could significantly alleviate environmental burdens.

The rise of fast fashion has only worsened the problem, with clothing production outpacing actual consumer demand.

According to Wear Again’s research, about 21 percent of clothes purchased in 2021 were never worn.

While recycling technology has rapidly advanced, textile recycling efforts remain insufficient.

Park sees great potential in diversifying recycling methods, particularly through using textile waste as an alternative fuel source.

“Textile waste has high carbon content and low impurities, making it a potent fuel alternative,” she said. “Using difficult-to-recycle textiles as substitute fuel could cut fossil fuel consumption and reduce environmental strain.”

The professor added that alternative fuels, generally cheaper than fossil fuels, could also provide economic benefits.

Park also called for government-led policies to facilitate efficient collection and reuse of discarded clothing, proposing a national system to manage textile waste and optimize its uses.

Professor Park Joo-young of Seoul National University’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering stressed a similarly balanced perspective on plastic use.

“Our life-cycle assessments reveal that in 13 out of 16 product sectors, greenhouse gas emissions are actually higher with plastic substitutes,” she said, suggesting that “moving beyond the notion that avoiding plastic altogether is the solution, we need a comprehensive approach to increase the durability and reuse of containers and other plastic products.”