The EU Commission’s proposed rules will make fashion brands and retailers responsible for the full lifecycle of textile products and will require them to financially support the sustainable management of textile waste across the EU.
EU’s new proposed rules aim to enhance sustainability in the textile industry
The European Commission has introduced new rules aligned with the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, focusing on harmonizing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations for textiles across EU Member States. The core of the proposal entails the implementation of mandatory and standardized EPR schemes for textiles throughout the EU.
EPR schemes, previously successful in managing waste for other products like packaging and electronic equipment, aim to bolster the sorting, reuse, and recycling of textiles across the EU. The initiative seeks to create local employment opportunities, reduce costs for consumers, and minimize the environmental impact of textile production.
Under the proposed rules, textile producers, including fashion brands and retailers, will be responsible for the costs associated with textile waste management. This financial obligation incentivizes producers to minimize waste and promote circularity from the product design stage onward. Producers’ contributions to the EPR scheme will be determined based on the environmental performance of their textiles, following the principle of ‘eco-modulation.’
Additionally, the proposed rules will facilitate the separate collection of textiles by member states, with producer contributions supporting investments in collection, sorting, reuse, and recycling infrastructure.
Furthermore, the proposal addresses the issue of illegal exports of textile waste by clearly defining waste and reusable textiles. By doing so, the legislation aims to prevent the practice of exporting waste under the guise of reuse, complementing forthcoming regulations on waste shipments.
EU Commission’s proposal for revision of Waste Framework Directive
The proposal is part of a broader effort to revise the Waste Framework Directive, which serves as the EU’s legal framework for waste management. The Waste Framework Directive provides definitions related to waste management, recycling, recovery, waste hierarchy, and fundamental concepts.
According to the European Commission, Europe generates 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste annually, with clothing and footwear alone contributing 5.2 million tonnes, equivalent to 12kg of waste per person each year. Currently, only 22% of post-consumer textile waste is collected separately for reuse or recycling, while the remaining portion is often incinerated or sent to landfill.
Next steps for the EU’s proposal
The proposal will now undergo further consideration by the European Parliament and the Council. The EU’s Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius said fashion’s global impact is no longer a requirement but a necessity. The EU aims to have all regulations in place by 2028, pushing fashion companies to produce circular textiles that are durable and easily recyclable by 2030. In May, the EU also initiated a ban on the destruction of unsold consumer products like textiles and footwear.
Date: July 6, 2023
