European Parliament approves ban on burning unsold clothing

NOS News•yesterday, 7:09 PM

Large companies will probably soon no longer be allowed to burn unsold clothing. Today, the European Parliament agreed to an update of a sustainable design directive that prohibits this. There will also be a digital ‘passport’ that allows consumers to see how sustainable a product is.

Now that parliament has approved the directive, EU ministers still have to agree. There is expected to be sufficient support for the plans. With the new rules, the European Union wants to make the market more sustainable.

This is an update of a directive that currently only applies to electronic equipment. The adjustment means that clothing companies and furniture makers must also meet the sustainability requirements.

Many companies burn clothing that they do not sell or that dissatisfied consumers return after an online order. In 2015, this involved an estimated 1.2 million items of clothing, according to MVO Nederland, an organization that is committed to corporate social responsibility.

With this law, the European Union wants to prohibit clothing from going through the shredder or ending up in the incinerator. It is still unclear what clothing companies will do with their leftover products. The EU certainly hopes for more recycling with the law.

Large clothing companies have two years to adjust their business operations. Medium-sized companies will have six years to prepare for the new rules.

In addition, the EU wants to introduce a so-called ‘digital product passport’. According to this law, all products sold on the European market must have a digital sustainability label.

With this passport, consumers can see where a product comes from, how it is composed and how it can be repaired or recycled. “Consumers can see at a glance which product is the most durable or easiest to repair,” said Belgian MEP Sara Matthieu, who was rapporteur during the negotiations.

In addition to the product passport and the ban on burning unsold clothing, the EU is introducing regulations that should facilitate the recycling of products. In addition, there will be rules that should reduce the use of raw materials, energy and water during production.

According to the European Commission, the directive is “a huge opportunity for both companies and consumers”, says Vice-President Sefcovic, who is responsible for the European Green Deal. “Ultimately, the European market will benefit from products that are more sustainable and easier to recycle.”

The European consumer organization BEUC warns of ways to circumvent the new law. The lack of sufficient staff and resources to carry out checks will make it difficult to effectively enforce the new law, the organization fears.