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MEPs call for tougher rules to reduce textiles waste across EU

14 Mar '24

2 min read

Pic: Adobe Stock

Insights

Parliament passed measures to tackle textile and food waste in EU, including extending producer responsibility schemes.
Producers selling textiles must cover costs for recycling.
Member states must establish these schemes within 18 months.
The rules cover various products and materials.
The new Parliament will continue work on the directive post elections.

On Wednesday, Parliament adopted its proposals to better prevent and reduce waste from textiles and food across the European Union (EU). MEPs adopted their first reading position on the proposed revision of the Waste Framework with 514 votes in favour, 20 against and 91 abstentions.

MEPs agree to extend producer responsibility (EPR) schemes, through which producers that sell textiles in the EU would have to cover the costs for collecting, sorting, and recycling them separately. 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).

The new rules would cover 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, the European Parliament said in a press release.

Rapporteur Anna Zalewska (ECR, PL) said: "Parliament has come up with targeted solutions to reduce food waste, such as promoting “ugly” fruits and veggies, keeping an eye on unfair market practices, clarifying date labelling, and donating unsold-but-consumable food. For textiles, we also want to include non-household products, carpets and mattresses, as well as sales via online platforms."

The file will be followed up by the new Parliament after the 6-9 June European elections.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)

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