Every year, humanity produces more goods than ever before; from plastic packaging and electronic gadgets to textiles, furniture, and household items. With this surge in production comes an equally massive surge in waste. Recycling has long been promoted as the answer to our mounting waste crisis, but the truth is sobering: our current systems were never built to handle the volume, variety, or complexity of discarded materials.
Globally and locally, including right here in Edmonton, the gap between what we produce and what our recycling systems can manage is growing wider each year. Unless we shift our focus upstream to waste prevention, reduction, and circular design, our planet will continue to drown in unnecessary stuff.
The Overproduction Problem
The scale of overproduction today is staggering.
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Plastic: In 2000, the world produced 200 million tonnes of plastic. By 2022, that number had more than doubled to over 460 million tonnes annually.
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Fashion: The clothing industry churns out more than 100 billion garments every year, with fast fashion brands releasing new collections weekly. The average Canadian throws away 37 kilograms of textiles annually, most of which end up in landfills.
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Electronics: In 2022, the world generated 62 million tonnes of e-waste, yet less than a fifth was properly collected and recycled.
This relentless output is tied to an economic model that values growth, speed, and disposability. Products are designed to break quickly, follow short-lived trends, or become outdated after only a few years. As a result, consumers are buying more but using items for less time, creating an endless loop of production and disposal.
In Edmonton, this can be seen in the sheer volume of waste processed at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre. Despite being one of North America’s most advanced facilities, even our systems cannot keep up with the pace of overproduction.
The Recycling Myth
We’ve been told for decades that recycling is the solution: toss your bottle in the blue bin, donate your clothes, and they’ll be transformed into something new. But the reality paints a different picture.
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Plastic: Only about 9% of plastic waste is recycled globally.
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Textiles: Less than 1% of textiles are recycled into new textiles.
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Electronics: Only about 17% of e-waste is responsibly recycled.
Many items we think of as “recyclable” were never designed with recycling in mind. Multi-layer chip bags, polyester-cotton blends, and glued-shut shoes are nearly impossible to process. Even when recycling works, it often results in downcycling. For example; turning a plastic bottle into carpet fiber that has no current recycling process after, rather than a true closed-loop system.
Recycling also doesn’t address the root cause: the flood of new products being produced daily.
Why Recycling Systems Can’t Keep Up
Municipal recycling programs ,especially in Canada, struggle under the weight of overproduction. Common limitations include:
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Contamination: One dirty plastic container or a non-recyclable item can spoil an entire load of recyclables.
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Economic challenges: Virgin plastic and raw materials are often cheaper than recycled ones, reducing demand for recycled content.
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Infrastructure gaps: Few facilities can handle complex materials like textiles or electronics.
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Export dependency: For years, Canada exported recyclables overseas. After China’s National Sword policy in 2018, much of that material had nowhere to go, exposing the fragility of our system.
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Product design flaws: Most items are not designed with end-of-life in mind, making recycling nearly impossible.
Even in Edmonton, where recycling infrastructure is better than in many cities, waste diversion rates show that we’re still far from a true circular system.
The Textile Tsunami
Perhaps no industry illustrates the overproduction crisis more clearly than fashion.
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Canadians purchase, on average, 70 new clothing items every year.
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The average garment is worn seven times before being discarded.
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Globally, 92 million tonnes of textile waste are generated each year.
While donating seems like a solution, only 20% of clothing donations are resold locally. The rest are exported to countries like Ghana or Chile, where they often overwhelm local markets and end up in landfills or burned.
At Earth Warrior, we see firsthand how textiles are treated as disposable, even though they are a valuable resource. This is why we upcycle fabrics into new products, keeping them in circulation and out of landfills.
Greenwashing and Consumer Confusion
In response to growing awareness, many companies now promote “recycling” initiatives: sneaker take-back bins, clothing collection programs, or plastic-neutral promises. Unfortunately, most of these programs are marketing tactics rather than real solutions.
For example, fast fashion retailers that churn out millions of garments each week claim to recycle old clothes. But without transparency, there’s little proof these items are actually being recycled. Often, they are downcycled or exported.
This creates “wishcycling,” where well-meaning consumers toss items in bins that cannot handle them. The result is more contamination and less effective recycling.
The Limits of a Linear System
The real problem is not recycling—it’s the linear take-make-waste model. This system assumes infinite resources and infinite space for waste, which simply does not exist.
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Mining, drilling, and deforestation are destroying ecosystems at record speed.
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Landfills and incinerators are overflowing.
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Oceans are becoming plastic soup, with over 170 trillion plastic particles now floating in marine ecosystems.
Unless we shift to a circular economy, recycling alone will never catch up.
Embracing Circular Solutions
To address overproduction, we need systemic change. Circular economy strategies focus on designing waste out of the system from the start. Key actions include:
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Designing for repair, durability, and recyclability: Products should last and be easy to fix or recycle.
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Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Companies must take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their products.
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Reuse and refill systems: From refillable cleaning products to secondhand shopping, these models cut waste upstream.
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Material innovation: Compostable and biodegradable alternatives can replace harmful single-use items.
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Consumer education: Teaching people how to buy less, buy better, and dispose responsibly.
At Earth Warrior, our mission aligns with these principles. Every product we create is designed to reduce waste, extend material lifespans, and challenge the culture of disposability.
Policy and Regulation
Governments must also play a role in curbing overproduction. Examples include:
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France’s repairability score for electronics.
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The European Union’s Right to Repair laws.
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Canadian provinces exploring EPR programs for packaging, electronics, and textiles.
Locally, Edmonton has opportunities to lead by investing in waste prevention, textile recycling pilots, and community education.
What You Can Do
While systemic change is crucial, individuals hold power too. Here’s how you can make an impact:
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Buy less, choose well: Invest in quality, long-lasting products.
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Support circular businesses: Shop local and support companies committed to reuse, repair, and upcycling.
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Advocate for policy change: Demand EPR and bans on non-recyclables.
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Educate others: Share resources and correct recycling myths.
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Vote with your wallet and your ballot: Support leaders and brands that prioritize sustainability.
Recycling cannot solve the crisis of overproduction. It was never built to handle the tidal wave of goods produced every year. To secure a livable future, we must focus on preventing waste at the source, designing products that last, and embracing circular systems that regenerate instead of exploit.
At Earth Warrior, we believe that every choice matters. By refusing to accept overproduction as normal, supporting businesses and policies that prioritize circularity, and rethinking the way we consume, we can shift from drowning in stuff to thriving in balance with our planet.
Keep Learning, Keep Growing
If you found this article helpful, we invite you to explore more stories of circular systems in action:
Denim Rescue in Edmonton: Unbelts Sustainable Jean Repair & Alterations – Discover how extending the life of your favorite jeans helps reduce textile waste and supports local circular fashion.
Embracing Eco-Friendly Shopping: Refilleries and Bulk Stores in Edmonton, Alberta – Learn how local refilleries are making it easier than ever to cut packaging waste and shop with purpose.
Each of these blogs highlights practical, local solutions that help keep valuable resources in circulation.
Make Your Own Eco Swaps
Ready to take action today? Visit the Earth Warrior Shop to explore sustainable alternatives like Re:Towels and To go cutlery Kits , durable, reusable products designed to replace single-use paper and plastic. Every swap helps reduce demand for overproduction and keeps textiles in use longer.
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