INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
TURNING TRASH INTO TREASURE: GIVING A SECOND LIFE TO CORPORATE TEXTILE WASTE
As the mining industry works to become more sustainable to meet environment, social and governance goals (ESG), one strategy that can be implemented is the circular economy – a concept that looks to eliminate waste and pollution by generating value from normally wasteful processes. Currently, the most common application of circular economy in the industry involves reprocessing tailings materials in order to extract leftover minerals, however, this is not the only form circular economy can take. There are plenty of opportunities for mining companies to take advantage of the resources available to mining operations, such as old uniforms, to implement circular economy practices and work towards ESG goals at the same time.
B
y now most of us have heard of the massive amounts of textiles we, in the developed world, send to landfill as a result of fast fashion and overconsumption. In Australia alone, each individual buys almost 15kg of clothes every year – making the country the second highest consumer of textiles in the world per capita – and most of this ends up in landfill. Lucy Tomassini, Projects and Business Development Manager at Loop Upcycling – a social enterprise leading the way in the circular economy by upcycling corporate waste – said, “Australia is the second-highest consumer of textiles in the world, with Australians discarding close to 800,000 tonnes of clothing1 and textiles each year, at a rate of 15 tonnes every ten minutes. “Australia has historically lagged behind some other countries in both recognising and dealing with the textile waste problem. In fact, textiles until very recently weren't even recognised as a waste stream by local or federal governments. People would concentrate on the traditional waste streams of paper, glass, and plastic bottles without understanding that 70 per cent2 of the world's textiles contain exactly the same chemicals. “It is estimated that over 50 per cent of working Australians wear a uniform3. These uniforms are typically replaced every 12 months, with high-vis workwear being replaced more often (recommended every six months) to meet safety standards. Not to mention the amount of times companies go through a rebrand. Presuming these textiles are tossed in the bin, that's a whole lot of landfill! Currently, businesses in Australia throw away or destroy a mind-blowing amount of uniforms.”
reduces air and water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions, and can help conserve global resources. “Loop believes that businesses should take responsibility for their textile waste, by considering the afterlife of their workwear and making a commitment to keep as much out of landfills as possible,” Ms Tomassini said. “We understand the concept of upcycling and reuse might be novel to many companies, but we want to encourage businesses to rethink the way they consume and discard, by recognising their redundant workwear as something that still has value and can be repurposed and reused. “Studies show that extending the life of clothing by just nine months would already reduce carbon, water, and waste footprint by 20-30 per cent4.”
Finding a sustainable solution
Extending the life of old uniforms and upcycling them is one strategy that mining companies can implement with major benefits. Aside from minimising the volume of materials and waste being sent to landfill every year, it also reduces the amount of production using new or raw materials, which in turn
26
Autumn 2023 \\ ISSUE 2
www.miningmagazine.com.au