The fast-fashion graveyard in the Atacama desert is growing immeasurably This special VW sold out in 8 minutes

Have you ever wondered what happens to the clothes you throw away?

The nice idea: your sports shirt has ended up in the closet of a junior Ronaldinho. The not-so-nice idea: The T-shirt sits in a dump in the middle of the desert — possibly for hundreds of years.

The problem with many garments: they are made of synthetic materials that are not biodegradable, such as polyester. On average, they take 500 years to break down, regardless of what fabric the old clothes are made of. In Switzerland, most of the clothes that are still usable are sold abroad – mainly to Eastern Europe, Russia, Africa and the Middle East.

Sold? Will Switzerland succeed in transferring old clothing abroad? Well, according to the Federal Environment Agency (BAFU), the proceeds from sales are primarily used to cover collection and sorting costs. Surpluses would benefit charities.

Camouflage for the disposal of textile waste

However, according to research by Greenpeace, it is not a half-fair exchange. “By exporting old clothes, the Global North has found a back door to get rid of its non-recyclable textile waste and is forcing the countries of the Global South to deal with these mountains of waste,” Michelle Sandmeier of Greenpeace Switzerland told SRF.

One of these giant heaps of old clothing waste is located in South America’s Atacama Desert, which stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the Andes. Chile is one of the world’s largest importers of unsaleable and used clothing. According to Chilean customs statistics, the country imported 44 million tons of used clothing from Europe, Asia, North, Central and South America in the past year alone.

But for what purpose does the country of nearly 20 million people import so much clothing that no one in the Global North wants to wear anymore?

Gateway for our waste

The hub for imports is the nearby port city of Iquique. Tons of textiles are imported here every week in used clothing containers – duty-free. Because: The village is one of many free zones in Chile. This means that the international exchange of goods is not hindered by customs formalities such as duties or taxes, which stimulates the economy and trade.

Since the introduction of the port in 1975, the life of the local population has improved. “For the residents, the introduction of the duty-free port was a revolution. Suddenly they could afford things they never dreamed of before, like their own cars,” sociologist Bernardo Guerrero told National Geographic.

Fast fashion graveyard in the middle of the desert

Among other things, the many imported clothing provides incentives. According to reports, most of the clothing is unworn – from all kinds of fast fashion brands such as Zara, H&M and Co. The local population sorts the mostly cheaply produced clothes, washes them and sells them on the markets. What could no longer be expelled often ends up in the Atacama Desert.

It is estimated that around 40,000 tons of clothing are illegally thrown away in the desert each year. Old clothes and shoes pile up in a gigantic pile of rubbish in the landscape that is also known for its vast salt flats.

“We are no longer just the local backyard, but rather the backyard of the world, which is worse,” Patricio Ferreira, mayor of the desert city of Alto Hospicio, told AFP. New satellite images show that this is not an exaggeration: the eyesore is now visible from space.

Devastating consequences for people and the environment

Pollution not only hurts the eye, but also poses a threat to people and the environment. Spurred on by the insatiable hunger for fast fashion, the amount of waste is already so great that the United Nations speaks of an “environmental and social emergency”.

Because: Parts of the landfills are often set on fire to minimize them. With devastating consequences: the materials are highly flammable and pollute the air. This mainly affects the people who live in the populated desert areas. In addition, the desert ecosystem is fragile. Some cactus species are already considered extinct due to climate change.

The government sees no need for action and is tackling other problems such as corruption, violence and illegal immigration. Mayor Ferreira is trying to take action against the landfill. But he is powerless when it comes to the waste problem: “These are unscrupulous people from all over the world who come here to throw away their waste. Once we started cleaning up, but then they just leave their garbage a little further.”