After the wide installation of recycling bins at streets and residential communities, people have been donating their used clothes for the sake of charity and environmental protection. However, to their astonishment, some people have found that their donated clothes were exported to Africa, becoming part of a business chain for some to make huge profits.
An undercover video(click to see the video) filmed by Qingdao Television in Shandong Province has gone viral, triggering public outcry. In the video, the reporters followed a truck that collected used clothes from recycling bins and transported them to a warehouse in Qingdao's Licang district. A warehouse employee told the reporters that these used clothes would be washed and sterilized and then sent to the next destination.
After a whole night of wait, the reporters found that these packed clothes were sent to a factory in a local village, where the clothes would undergo further processing for sale. "The zips are sold at 20 yuan per kilogram and 20,500 yuan per ton," said one of the workers, adding that clothes of good quality have already been exported to Africa.
The video has sparked heated discussion online, with many people saying that while they are not opposed to the sale of used clothes, they firmly condemn those who are making profit in the name of charity.
Insiders pointed out that the reuse of used clothes is an emerging market in China and the combination of charity and commercial use could be a better solution to make the most of the resources, while calling for a supervision over the installation of recycling bins and stricter check on the enterprises which are engaged in the business.
After the wide installation of recycling bins at streets and residential communities, people have been donating their used clothes for the sake of charity and environmental protection. However, to their astonishment, some people have found that their donated clothes were exported to Africa, becoming part of a business chain for some to make huge profits.
