A five-day Circular Economy and Textile Exchange Workshop focused on addressing textile waste challenges in Ghana and across Africa concluded in Accra, with calls for sustainable textile management. Organised by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) in collaboration with the Africa-Europe Mayors’ Dialogue, the event aimed to foster knowledge exchange on recycling, circular business models, and sustainable textile management.
Beginning on Oct 6, 2024, the workshopbrought together over 100 participants, including policymakers, industry leaders, and advocates from cities such as London, Durban, and Freetown, to explore innovative practices and promote cross-border collaboration.
In his welcome address, Engineer Solomon Noi, Director, AMA Waste Management Department, on behalf of Hon. Elizabeth Sackey, the Mayor of Accra, highlighted the challenges faced in managing secondhand clothing waste in Accra. The city lacks resources to repurpose discarded clothing, despite high volumes of waste, Sackey noted, highlighting plans to implement a circular waste management model in collaboration with international cities by adopting best practices like mechanical recycling and upcycling, Accra’s informal sector, which accounts for 80 per cent of the local economy, could benefit from new jobs in recycling, she emphasised.
Kenji Maghoma, Communications and Production Specialist - External Engagement, Africa-Europe Mayors' Dialogue, explained, the initiative connects over 20 cities across Africa and Europe to find practical solutions to shared challenges. Launched by the Mayors of Freetown and Milan in 2020, the platform focuses on waste management, recycling, and circular business innovation, with the goal of fostering city diplomacy and collaboration.
Addressing the global textile waste crisis, Liz Ricketts, Founder, The Or Foundation, cited the example of the Kantamanto Market in Ghana, which receives 15 million garments weekly. She criticised the categorisation of unsold clothing as ‘charity’ or ‘recycling,’ highlighting the burden it places on local resources. Calling for global accountability, Ricketts advocated for implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies to align with real waste management costs, helping impacted communities like Kantamanto.
Rachel Singer, Circular Economy Advisor, ReLondon, shared London’s efforts to reduce textile waste, including ambitious targets to eliminate landfill waste by 2026 and increase recycling rates. She emphasisedon ReLondon’s mission to embed circular practices in everyday life and detailed London’s strategy to cut emissions by reducing material consumption.
The workshop included visits to Kantamanto Market and presentations by sustainable fashion designers, aiming to advance policy advocacy for circular textile practices.
