Uncovering the circular economy potential of industrial waste in Sri Lanka (case study from textile industrial - fabric waste)

¹ National Cleaner Production Centre, Nugegoda 10250, Sri Lanka
² University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa 10400, Sri Lanka
³ Deakin University, Melbourne Australia

^* Corresponding author: lakminincm@yahoo.com,lakminincpc@gmail.com

Abstract

A comprehensive survey was undertaken to examine the production of fabric waste in the apparel manufacturing sector of Sri Lanka. The primary objective was to assess the composition, quantities, and potential economic value of the fabric waste generated within this sector. This investigation involved 120 carefully selected industries, and data collection was facilitated through a structured questionnaire. Additionally, on-site visits were conducted at random to verify the provided data. The total amount of fabric waste generated by these industries in 2022 was determined to be 28,745.3 tons, with the overall production reaching 288,456.6 tons. This waste predominantly consisted of fabric leftovers, accounting for approximately 88.3% of the total, while the remaining portion comprised yarn leftovers. The fabric leftovers were further categorized based on their material composition, with polyester accounting for 24.5%, nylon 25%, cotton 20%, and mixed material 30.5%. The prevalent methods employed for managing fabric waste were recycling (35.5%), reuse (5%), co-processing (35%), incineration (10.5%), open dumping (12%), and other methods (2%). The findings of this study reveal that around 60% of the fabric waste could be incorporated back into the material cycle with an estimated economic value of approximately USD 12.74 at present.