Discarded Clothing by UK Fast Fashion Brands Found in Protected Wetlands in Ghana: Report

Following an investigation by Unearthed and Greenpeace Africa, a new report has revealed the presence of discarded clothing by UK brands such as Marks & Spencer, George at Asda and Next in a protected wetland, Densu Delta Ramsar Site, of Ghana. The report also found clothing from M&S, Zara, H&M and Primark dumped along riverbanks outside of the conservation areas.

As Unearthed reported, Ghana receives 15 million items of discarded clothing every week, and in 2024, the UK exported more clothing waste (about 57,000 metric tons) to Ghana than any other country.

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Originally, there was just one landfill in the Accra region that had been funded by the World Bank and it opened in 2013. The Kpone landfill was supposed to take eight to 10 years to reach capacity, but thanks to textile waste, it met capacity after five years. Then, methane trapped inside the clothing waste ignited in August 2019 and burned for eight months, Corporate Knights reported.

With around 40% of each bale of discarded clothing being unusable, more dump sites are popping up to handle the incoming waste, with sites recently established around protected wetlands about one hour outside of the capital Accra.

“Dumping of refuse at any part of the wetland contravenes best international conservation protocols,” said Eric Atta-Kusi, wetlands operations manager at Ghana’s Forestry Commission, as reported by Unearthed. “The local assembly have been made to understand the negative implications of dumping of waste materials in the wetlands on, not only the fauna and flora but also the impact on the free flow, a major contributing factor to the flooding situation in the area.”

Not only are there growing mounds of wasted clothing, but Greenpeace Africa testing found that nearly 90% of this waste is made with synthetic fibers and contributes to polluting wildlife habitats. Some of the wasted clothing is burned, which also worsens local air quality.

As Unearthed revealed, two dumping grounds have recently opened within the Densu Delta Ramsar Site, along with a third dump site on upstream riverbanks.

NEW: Fashion waste is overwhelming Ghana — and now it’s spilling into Accra’s protected wetlands. With @greenpeaceafrica.org, we found UK brands and huge new dump sites in a conservation area home to endangered turtles. 👉 unearthed.greenpeace.org/2025/06/18/u…

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— Unearthed (@unearthednews.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 1:12 AM

The Densu Delta Ramsar Site includes mangroves, marshes and salt pans and is an important habitat for waterfowl, including roseate tern (Sterna dougallii), little egret (Egretta garzetta), curlew sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) and at least 54 other waterfowl species. It is also a nesting site to vulnerable Olive Ridley turtles and two endangered turtle species: leatherback turtles and green turtles.

With the Ramsar Site designation, the wetland area is considered internationally important for its biodiversity and ability to sustain human life. However, locals have noticed a decline in water quality in recent years.

“For some time now, we do not get [as] much fish [as] we used to,” Daniel Nii Okai, a local fisherman, told Unearthed. “The Densu river pushes along all the waste from the dumpsites as it flows into the sea, this destroys where the fish lives and drives them away.”

Fishers must untangle the clothing waste from their nets. Locals have also complained that the river water has changed color and is not drinkable, and the garbage has left a horrible smell in the area, especially after a rain. Wildlife, aside from an abundance of mosquitos, is seen less frequently.

There are also concerns over how PFAS and other chemicals present in synthetic textiles could have long-term impacts on the environment and public health.

“The bioaccumulation and biomagnification of microplastics in aquatic organisms and humans could pose risks such as physical damage, chemical exposure and disruption of biological processes,” Jones Quartey, a wetland ecologist at the University of Ghana, told Unearthed.

“Dumping of non-biodegradable textiles could alter the structure and function of several habitat types provided by wetlands,” Quartey added. “This will leave in its trail severely fragmented and modified local landscapes.”