DISCARDED CLOTHING PILED UP AMID COVID-19

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90 percent of used clothes collected in recycling bins are sold overseas. However, thousands of tons of discarded clothing remain unsold amid the coronavirus pandemic. Here's more.

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​​This is a massive warehouse owned by a used clothing recycling company in Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do Province, It is filled with nearly 800 tons of old clothes. Truckfuls of used clothes, collected from apartments, are repeatedly poured out. The situation is similar at another warehouse. This company brought in a whopping 3,500 tons of old clothes over the past month. 90 percent of them are exported to India and Southeast Asian countries. However, the mountains of old apparel remain unsold, as export routes are blocked amid the coronavirus pandemic. Recycling companies' loss increases when they pick up discarded clothing.

[Soundbite] YOO HYUN-JOON(USED CLOTHING RECYCLING FIRM) : "All economic activities have been halted in those countries. Imported old clothes are not sold there. So we cannot export our collections."

Three out of four such firms in Cheongju have decided to suspend business indefinitely.

[Soundbite] CHUNG NAM-KYU(CHEONGJU RECYCLING COMPANIES' ASSOCIATION) : "It is urgent to dispose of discarded clothing, since they rot or go moldy. With the passing of time, there will be serious problems and the clothing should burned."

The government recently announced emergency measures to address the recycling of plastic waste. But no solution has been presented regarding how to deal with thousands of tons of discarded old clothing.

[Soundbite] (ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY OFFICIAL(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "We have not yet devised measures about discarded clothing, since we have just begun compiling statistics on the issue. It will take more time."

Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, hundreds of tons of used clothing are collected everyday with nowhere to go.