European Union’s forthcoming Textiles Strategy should be based on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), says as a new study by Eunomia for Changing Markets Foundation and the European Environmental Bureau, published in March. The latest report says, inclusion of EPR in the EU textiles strategy would enable the industry to operationalize the penalty paid by a polluter.
Covering products entire lifecycle costs
The report highlights, textile consumption in Europe had the fourth-highest impact on the environment and climate change in 2020 as 6.6 million tons of clothing, household textiles and footwear were consumed during the year. The study urges garment producers to bear the financial costs associated with end-of-life management of textiles they sell. It asserts, those who consume more textiles should pay more penalties. Over-consumption is ‘the root’ of challenges faced by the textile industry and only EPR can help tackle this, the report adds.
EPR can improve textiles design by varying EPR fee levels according to relevant criteria, says the report. The incentives can be based on the size of fees relative to the sales price of textile item. The industry should also ensure full coverage of end-of-life costs, adds the report. This would help increase the relative size of fees, and increase modulation’s influence on design choices, the report notes. However, a few textile items will continue to remain uninfluenced by such incentives.’
The industry needs to introduce several minimum eco-design requirements alongside EPR besides banning use of substances of very high concern (SVHCs) in textile products. This would help make EPR schemes more effective and address complex issues, says the Eunomia report.
Maximizing EPR potential
The Eunomia report recommends certain actions to help EU maximize EPR’s effectiveness and harmonize specific aspects and requirements for its performance. The actions recommended include: setting performance targets for the collection and management of used and waste textiles, including repair, collection, preparation for reuse, and recycling; establishment of an EU-level definition for obligated producers; establishment of an EU-level classification for when textiles become waste; establishment of EU-level classifications for granularity of fee structure and associated reporting obligations; and establishment of EU-level criteria for eco-modulation and associated reporting obligations.
The report further outlines measures including setting up a target for including recycled content in textiles, reduction in VAT on repair, curbing the release of microplastics in the air, and ensuring a smooth material flow by establishing a data reporting and verification throughout the value chain. These can change the textile circularity scenario in Europe, adds the report
