MEPs push for stricter measures to tackle textile waste in Europe

15 Feb '24

2 min read

Pic: Adobe Stock

Insights

European Parliament's Environment Committee approved proposals to reduce food and textile waste.
The new rules include extended producer responsibility schemes for textiles, ensuring separate collection and recycling.
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) aim for implementation within 18 months, covering a wide range of textile products.

In a significant move, the Environment Committee of the European Parliament has greenlit proposals aimed at bolstering efforts to curb waste from food and textiles continent-wide. During Wednesday's session, MEPs within the Environment Committee solidified their stance on the proposed overhaul of the Waste Framework Directive, with a resounding 72 votes in favour, none opposed, and three abstentions.

The new rules, as adopted by MEPs, would set up extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes, through which economic operators that make textiles available on the EU market would cover the costs for their separate collection, sorting, and recycling. Member states would have to establish these schemes 18 months after the entry into force of the directive (compared to 30 months proposed by the Commission). In parallel, EU countries would need to ensure, by 1 January 2025, the separate collection of textiles for re-use, preparing for re-use and recycling, the European Parliament said in a press release.

These rules would cover textile products such as clothing and accessories, blankets, bed linen, curtains, hats, footwear, mattresses, and carpets, including products that contain textile-related materials such as leather, composition leather, rubber, or plastic.

Rapporteur Anna Zalewska (ECR, PL) said, "For textiles, we patch up loopholes by also including non-household products, carpets, and mattresses, as well as sales via online platforms. We also request a textile waste reduction target, with an oversight of exported used textiles. Better infrastructure to increase separate collection should be complemented by sorting mixed municipal waste more efficiently, so that items which can be recycled are extracted before being sent to the incinerator or landfill."

The full house is scheduled to vote on its position during the March 2024 plenary session. The file will be followed up by the new Parliament after the European elections from June 6-9.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)

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