Textile waste management and environmental concerns

Abstract The textile industry has notably contributed to the development of many countries’ economies. Global textile production has increased in recent years because of population growth and higher living standards. However, the enormous amount of hazardous waste that has been generated by textile-related industries is of great concern. Improper handling and irregular disposal of textiles waste cause environmental pollution (water, air and landfill) and directly affect human health. Recently, environmental sustainability has been nominated as one of the pronounced key factors for the upgrading of modern industrialization. Accordingly, textile industries have been practising on building sustainability-based products within every section by maintaining their environmental legislations. Therefore environmental safety issues associated with the proper disposal of textile waste have been of high interest. This chapter will highlight the challenges and issues involved in managing textile waste concerning environmental concerns and will outline methods to increase the usefulness of this resource.