Waste in the World’s Driest Non-Polar Desert
In a dusty corner of the Atacama Desert—the driest non-polar place on Earth—piles of used clothing lie sun-bleached and tattered. Plastic bags bulge with second-hand garments: nursing uniforms, shoes, overalls, and fast-fashion items, many still bearing store tags. These arrive via the Iquique freeport and are either resold or discarded, often ending up in illegal dumps, some of which are burned, causing pollution.
A Legislative Turn Toward Accountability
This week, Chile’s environment ministry designated textiles as a “priority” category under its extended producer responsibility (EPR) law. Importers must now report the volumes of used clothing they bring into the country, with stricter regulations forthcoming.
A Push for Circularity—Repair, Reuse, Recycle
Chile will publish a public policy focusing on textiles within the circular economy framework. The goal: eliminate textile dumps in the Atacama and foster a culture of repair, reuse, and recycling. Beatriz O’Brien of Fashion Revolution notes this shift encourages a move away from the linear production-consumption-disposal model toward sustainability.
Import Pressure and Local Impact
More than 90% of Chile’s textiles are imported, making it the world’s fourth-largest importer of second-hand clothing, with over 123,000 tonnes entering annually. The north—especially near Alto Hospicio and Iquique—bears the brunt of this environmental challenge.
From Freeport to Desert
At Iquique’s freeport, huge bales of second-hand clothing are unloaded and sorted by migrant workers. Wearable items go to outlet stores or are shipped to Santiago—or even back abroad. Meanwhile, lower-grade goods head to Alto Hospicio’s markets or are dumped in the desert, sometimes igniting fires that send toxic plumes into the air.
A Turning Point for Latin America
Chile’s EPR law—effective since 2017 for items such as batteries and tires—now covers textiles. Environment Minister Maisa Rojas affirms that producers must now confront the environmental costs of unused garments.
