[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 110 (Friday, June 23, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H3130]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                         ASSESSING FAST FASHION

  (Ms. PINGREE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, satellite images have identified a pile of 
discarded clothing in Chili, sent there from Europe, Asia, and America. 
It is so large it can be seen from space.
  This mountain of textile waste illustrates the environmental toll of 
what is called fast fashion. Unfortunately, fast fashion has become 
very popular with consumers, but it comes at a high cost to our planet.
  Fast fashion relies on cheap manufacturing, frequent consumption, and 
short-lived garment use. This constant cycle of production and disposal 
is exemplified by these mountains of discarded shirts and skirts.
  Textile waste has increased dramatically over the last two decades 
and, in the process, has become a massive environmental challenge. In 
2018, 17 million tons of textiles were generated in the U.S. and 11.3 
million tons were thrown into landfills.
  As the rate that clothing is produced and discarded increases, only 
15 percent of the clothing in the U.S. is recycled or reused, with the 
rest either incinerated or sent to landfills for disposal.
  I am formally calling on the GAO to assess what actions the EPA has 
taken and can take to combat fast fashion waste.
  In Maine, we have a deeply ingrained sense that you can always get a 
little more use out of something. I agree. The Federal Government can 
and must do more to stop waste and pollution. Fast fashion should be 
sustainable fashion.

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