Do you have a full wardrobe, but always missing something? With the rise of fast fashion, the rate of clothing disposal has accelerated. On average, each person in the EU throws away 12 kilograms of clothes and shoes each year. To promote the sustainable use of textiles, the EU proposed a draft on the 4th that would require producers to pay an upfront waste management fee, estimated to be around €0.12 (approximately NT$4) per T-shirt, depending on the ease of recycling and disposal. This is part of the EU's 2030 textile recycling goals. Related regulations also include prohibiting businesses from destroying unsold clothing, establishing textile waste recycling systems, and managing false green labels. Tougher regulations are being introduced to address textile issues that have previously been under-managed.
Fast fashion is also accelerating waste, and the EU is demanding producers pay. The success of Zara and H&M has spurred an influx of fast fashion brands like SHEIN and Boohoo, attracting consumers with their trendy and affordable prices. Not only has purchase volume increased, but so has the rate of replacement and disposal. From the raw materials, water, and electricity required for production to waste disposal, all of this puts a strain on the environment. According to 2019 statistics from the European Environment Agency (EEA), clothing, footwear, and home textiles consumed by each person in the EU use approximately 1.3 tons of materials and over 100,000 liters of water annually, and these figures are growing rapidly. Textiles have become the fourth largest source of environmental burden in the EU, trailing only food, housing, and transportation. According to data from the European Commission, approximately 12.6 million tons of textile waste is discarded annually in the EU, with clothing and shoes accounting for 5.2 million tons, equivalent to 12 kilograms of clothing and shoes thrown away per person annually. Only 22% of used waste is recycled; the rest is sent to incinerators or landfilled. "The clothing industry is a significant source of pressure on natural resources and pollution," said Virginijus Sinkevičius, the European Commission's environment commissioner. "We can't stop people from buying new things they like and can afford, but we need to make sure they end up in a better place, not destroyed or dumped in Africa." The EU intends to include textiles in its "Extended Producer Responsibility" (EPR) program, a practice already used for packaging, batteries, and electrical and electronic equipment. Companies must pay an upfront fee to facilitate subsequent waste management. Currently, only a few countries, such as France and Spain, have included textiles in the EPR program. EU officials told the Financial Times that the average price of a T-shirt is around €0.12 (approximately NT$4), with the amount varying depending on the item and how it is handled. The textile EPR program will be coupled with "eco-modulation." If companies incorporate waste reduction and ease of recycling and reuse into the design phase, the upfront recycling fees will be reduced.
Reducing waste at the source, the EU promotes textile recycling in all aspects
The new EU proposal will be finalized after discussion by the European Parliament and the Council. The complete textile recycling blueprint also includes: Member States must establish textile waste recycling systems by 2025, increase recycling rates, and prohibit the destruction of unused or unsold textiles and shoes. The Commission is also drafting regulatory regulations for the situation where the industry's "Eco Label" does not live up to its name.
Reuters reported that H&M and Zara have no plans to slow down the product cycle, but only start from saving water and energy, or using recycled fabrics.
The Financial Times pointed out that H&M has announced a goal of using 30% recycled fabrics by 2025. The European Federation of the Apparel and Textile Industries (EURATEX) is conducting a pilot project. They are working with small manufacturers in 11 regions to consider the convenience of recycling from the beginning of the design, hoping to create a closed textile recycling system.
Source: Environmental Information Center (https://e-info.org.tw/node/237187)
