Pre-consumer waste from leading global fashion brands continue to be burnt to fuel brick kilns in Cambodia, despite the risk of exposing people to toxins and causing negative health and environmental impacts, an investigation has revealed.
- During visits to brick factories between April and September this year, the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) found pre-consumer garment waste at five operational and two permanently closed brick factories.
- These factories in Phnom Penh and Kandal province burnt pre-consumer garment waste to fuel brick kilns. LICADHO found waste marked with 19 international brands.
- Only six have confirmed receipt of the communication sent to them: Adidas; Cropp and Sinsay; Lululemon Athletica; Lupilu (owned by Lidl Stiftung & Co); Tilley Endurables (owned by Gibraltar & Company); and, Venus Fashion (owned by Otto GmbH & Co KG).
- The ones who have failed to respond as yet are: C&A; Disney; Gap, Old Navy and Athleta; Karbon (owned by Schure Sports Inc); Kiabi; No Boundaries (NOBO) (owned by Walmart); Primark; Reebok (owned by Authentic Brands Group); Sweaty Betty (owned by owned by Wolverine World Wide, Inc); Under Armour.
The practice: Brick factories often mix wood with waste from the garment industry—which includes fabric cut-offs, plastic, rubber and other materials—to reduce the cost of fuelling kilns.
- Workers have previously reported impacts including cough, cold, flu, nosebleed and lung inflammation. Nearby communities have also reported that the practice damages their crops and farmland.
- Several workers reported that burning garment waste caused them headaches and respiratory problems; another worker reported that it made her feel especially unwell during her pregnancies. Garment waste stored at one brick factory fuelled an uncontrolled fire, threatening workers’ safety.
The brands: LICADHO wrote to each of the brands identified or their parent companies in October 2023 to urge them to end, prevent and remedy these harms. All were given an opportunity to respond, and LICADHO informed them that their responses may be published as part of this report if received in time.
As of 19 November, only six companies had replied.
- Adidas indicated that they initiated an investigation;
- Tilley Endurables said that they were taking other preventative action;
- Lidl Stiftung & Co. requested to meet with LICADHO;
- LPP requested additional time to reply; and
- Lululemon Athletica acknowledged receipt of LICADHO’s letter.
