Overview

• Investigators documented two open-air waste sites—Glefe and Akkaway—expanding within Ghana’s Ramsar-protected Densu delta.
• Mixed textiles from UK retailers, including Next, George at Asda, Marks & Spencer, Zara, H&M and Primark, were found tangled in mud, sand and waterways.
• UN trade figures show the UK exported 57,000 tonnes of fashion waste to Ghana last year, with the country receiving over 1,000 tonnes of used clothing per week.
• Local fishers report that synthetic garments clog nets and waterways while wetland ecologists warn that textile chemicals and microplastics pose irreversible risks to wildlife.
• Several brands have signalled support for extended producer responsibility schemes but environmental groups are urging the UK government to impose binding waste-management obligations on fashion retailers.