‍Policy Hub: Position paper on Textile Waste as a Resource

‍Position paper on Textile Waste as a Resource: Infrastructures, Waste Shipment, and Secondary Raw Materials Markets

Looking at waste as a resource is key to closing the loop and making the circular economy truly circular. This will be particularly important for textiles waste, which the EU Member States are obliged to separate as of 2025. But how to effectively manage textiles waste to secure its value and recirculate it back into the market? We answered this question in our new position paper on ''Textile Waste as a Resource: Infrastructures, Waste Shipment, and Secondary Raw Materials Markets'', where we provide recommendations to EU policy makers.

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To secure a constant flow of high-quality secondary raw materials, Policy Hub recommends the following:

1. to harmonise EPR and waste collection rules across the EU;
   
2. to bring textile recycling solutions at scale through research, development and funding opportunities;
   
3. to set a definition of textile waste, harmonising end-of-waste criteria at EU level to secure a constant flow of high quality secondary raw materials;
   
4. to invest in sustainable innovations that can decontaminate waste streams and increase safe recycling; and
   
5. to simplify and digitalise the authorisation process under the revised Waste Shipment Regulation when post-consumer recoverable waste is shipped within the EU and globally for the purpose of sorting, preparation for reuse, or recycling.

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You can download the full position paper below.

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