Extended Producer Responsibility for Textiles

In a bid to enhance the sustainability of textile products and address the challenges of textile waste management across the European Union (EU), the Commission has put forth new regulations.

These rules aim to hold producers accountable for the entire lifecycle of textile products and to facilitate the sustainable handling of textile waste. The initiative aligns with the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, focusing on advancing separate collection, sorting, reuse, and recycling practices for textiles within the EU.

The proposed regulations introduce mandatory and standardized Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes for textiles in all EU Member States. Drawing inspiration from successful EPR schemes for various products like packaging, batteries, and electronic equipment, these rules require producers to bear the costs of textile waste management. This financial responsibility serves as an incentive for producers to reduce waste and enhance the circularity of textile products, encouraging the design of more sustainable products from the outset. The environmental performance of textiles will determine the fees paid by producers to the EPR scheme, following the principle of 'eco-modulation.'

The establishment of common EU extended producer responsibility rules will facilitate the implementation of the requirement to collect textiles separately from 2025, as outlined in current legislation. Contributions from producers will fund investments in separate collection, sorting, reuse, and recycling infrastructure. The proposed waste management rules prioritize sorting textiles for reuse, redirecting what cannot be reused to recycling. This approach not only benefits social enterprises engaged in textile collection and treatment but also expands the market for second-hand textiles.

Additionally, the proposal encourages research and development into innovative technologies for the circularity of the textiles sector, such as fiber-to-fiber recycling.

Addressing the issue of illegal exports of textile waste to inadequately equipped countries, the proposed regulations clarify distinctions between waste and reusable textiles. This clarification aims to halt the practice of disguising waste exports as activities for reuse. Complementary measures under the proposed Regulation on waste shipments will ensure that textile waste is shipped only when there are guarantees of environmentally sound waste management.

The Commission's proposal for a targeted amendment of the Waste Framework Directive, encompassing measures on food waste, will now undergo consideration by the European Parliament and the Council in the ordinary legislative procedure.

This initiative aligns with the Commission's commitment outlined in the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, emphasizing the harmonization of Extended Producer Responsibility rules for textiles and the development of economic incentives to promote sustainable and circular textile products.

Source: European Commission Press Release 05/07/2023