Environmental justice, chemicals, and the limits of current recycling systems

This investigation into textile recycling in Panipat, India, shows the hidden costs of fast fashion and the myth of “safe” recycling.

Workers exposed to toxic dust and hazardous chemicals. Rivers polluted by untreated wastewater. Communities are paying with their health so the world can keep consuming cheap clothing.

A circular economy cannot rely on exporting waste and toxic burdens to vulnerable communities. We need less overproduction, safer materials, chemical transparency, reuse systems, and stronger protections for workers and frontline communities.