Textile recycling of fast-fashion waste in Panipat, India, is releasing harmful chemicals that cause severe health problems for local residents and workers.
This situation highlights the environmental cost of the global apparel industry, where discarded clothing from wealthy nations is shipped to regions with lax regulations. While these processes aim to recycle fabric, the lack of oversight transforms a sustainability goal into a public health crisis.
The industry in Panipat is worth billions of dollars [1]. However, this economic growth comes with significant risks to the population of Haryana state. The process of recycling discarded clothing involves the use of dyes, solvents, and bleaching agents to treat the fabrics.
These chemicals are frequently released into the air and local water sources. Because regulation remains lax, factory workers and nearby residents are exposed to these pollutants daily. This exposure has led to widespread health issues across the city.
There are conflicting narratives regarding the impact of these operations. Some reports describe the industry as a driver of global circular fashion that creates sustainable fabrics for conscious brands worldwide. Other reports said the industry carries a devastating cost on the people and environment of Panipat [1].
The surge of fast-fashion waste shipments to India between 2025 and 2026 has intensified the pollution levels. As more discarded clothing arrives, the volume of chemical runoff increases, further contaminating the ecosystem in northern India.
“The industry in Panipat is worth billions of dollars.”
The crisis in Panipat illustrates the 'pollution shifting' phenomenon, where developed nations export the environmental burden of their consumption to the Global South. By labeling these shipments as 'recycling,' brands can claim circularity while the actual processing occurs in unregulated zones, externalizing the health and environmental costs to vulnerable populations.
