ZWE research flags EU is failing to address textile industry emissions
01 Aug 2023 --- Research published by Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) stresses that the EU must address emissions generated by the textile industry and align the Waste Framework Directive accordingly.
“Clothing, especially fast-fashion items, make up the most significant part of textile waste. The main challenge is that many business models rely on the fast turnover of fashion trends that create a constant incentive to buy more new, cheaply produced clothes,” Theresa Mörsen, waste and resources policy officer at ZWE, tells Packaging Insights.
“Even if we improve the reuse and recycling of clothes or make them more durable, these measures don’t touch upon the underlying issue: an unsustainable business model based on overproduction and consumption.”
ZWE emphasizes that governments must take urgent action to support sustainable business models and penalize those that profit at the cost of future generations. The “T(h)reading a path: Towards textiles waste prevention targets” paper details the main climate impact of the textile industry lies in the production phase and urges remodeling of the industry.
“The low price of polyester facilitates fast fashion, as we pointed out in our ‘Beyond Circular Fashion’ report. In that sense, the plastics industry is partly responsible for excess textile waste,” Mörsen says.
“Polyester producers, self-evidently, have an incentive to increase sales. While recycling can only play a small part in addressing the crisis, improving fiber-to-fiber polyester recycling can be a first step.”
ZWE reveals that on average Europeans consume 26 kg of textiles annually while generating 11 kg of textile waste.Textile emissions
The ZWE report warns that the apparel industry must take urgent action to address emission gaps to reach the climate targets of the Paris Agreement. The paper further notes that despite being the top clothes buyer globally, the EU has yet to set concrete measures on textile waste prevention, thereby “canceling any progress toward a sustainable fashion industry.”
Mörsen states: “Evidence shows that even with the foreseen interventions in the textile production chain, there is still a gap of almost 40% of necessary emissions reductions to meet the 1.5 degrees target. This suggests that the only way forward is to reduce overproduction.”
ZWE advocates for real textile waste reduction targets at EU level. According to the paper, the average European consumes 26 kg of textiles annually while generating 11 kg of textile waste. The environmental consequences extend beyond the EU’s borders, as material extraction and production mostly take place outside the EU and exports of textile waste are polluting soil and water in recipient countries in the Global South.
“Since member states’ waste prevention programs have not delivered any tangible waste reduction over the past ten years, we suggest setting concrete targets, starting with textile waste in the current revision of the Waste Framework Directive,” Mörsen shares.
“We propose an overall reduction target for textile waste of at least one third by 2040 in comparison to 2020. It is essential to set policy on the right trajectory for substantial waste reduction as soon as possible.”
Whose polymer?
Earlier this year, calls were made by beverage industry associations for EU policymakers to prevent “free-riding” fashion and automotive businesses from disrupting the circular economy by using the recycled plastic supply without contributing a fair share.
Last year, recycled PET (rPET) more than doubled in price as other industries – notably fashion – purchased supplies. In Europe, rPET was reported at a 30%-plus premium over virgin. “There are well-known ongoing challenges around meeting the supply demands for sourcing high-quality food-grade rPET globally,” a Coca-Cola Company spokesperson previously told Packaging Insights.
Moreover, unregulated PET imports are threatening the competitiveness of the EU’s plastic packaging industry and its objective to improve waste management, industry experts flagged.
Edited by Radhika Sikaria
