His government European Union agreed today that the destruction of unsold fabrics should be banned in order to reduce waste through more reuse and recycling.

Textile consumption in Europe has the fourth largest impact on the environment and climate change after food, housing and mobility. About 5.8 million tons of textiles, about 11 kg per person, are thrown into the EU each year, with much of this material ending up in landfills or incinerated.

Governments and the European Parliament will have to agree on an ecodesign regulation for sustainable products before it becomes law. In line with an initial proposal made in March 2022 by the European Commission, the Commission itself will decide at a later stage whether bans on destruction should be introduced.

However, his government EUROPEAN UNION. agreed to immediately impose a ban on the destruction of unsold clothing, instead of waiting for the Commission to conduct an assessment, which could take up to three years.

Medium businesses with fewer than 250 employees will have a four-year transition period, while small businesses with fewer than 50 employees will be exempt.

Spain, which will take over the six-month EU presidency. from July, he is expected to hold talks with representatives of the European Parliament. The latter has not yet decided on its position, but it seems that he can support a ban on the destruction of unsold fabrics, as well as electronic devices.

The new law will also create a new “digital product passport” that will show the environmental sustainability of a product to help consumers make more informed choices.

The European Commission has said that the destruction of unsold consumer goods such as clothes and shoes is becoming a European problem, especially due to the rise in online sales.

France already has anti-waste legislation in place that prohibits the destruction of unsold products other than food.

Source: APE-MPE, Reuters.