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Every year thousands of tons of textiles end up in household waste. In order to reduce the negative environmental impact, it is proposed that greater responsibility be given to producers to ensure that the material is recycled. But households are also forced to transfer textiles.
In early November, the world’s first large-scale automated plant for sorting textiles was shown to the media in Malmö. In full operation, the machine has the capacity to sort 24 | 000 tons of textiles per year.
To reduce the large amount of textiles that are incinerated as ordinary residual waste each year, greater responsibility must be given to producers to ensure that used textiles are collected for reuse.
Every year, around 144,000 tonnes of textiles are placed on the Swedish market and approximately 86,500 tonnes, or just over nine kilos per person, are thrown away or left in recycling centers.
– It is not a sustainable situation, says Birgitta Losman, special investigator of the Government Offices.
The production of textiles is very chemical and requires large amounts of water, among other things.
– Doubling the useful life of textiles reduces climate impact by 49 percent, we know, says Birgitta Losman.
The investigation proposes that, among other things, Swedish companies that manufacture, sell, rent or import textiles for the Swedish market must join a collection system with a permit from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
The goal is for the amount of textile waste to be thrown into residual waste to decrease by 90 percent by 2036, compared to 2024. First, the goal is for textiles to be reused instead, and second , the fiber is recycled.
It is estimated that around 7,400 companies are covered by producer responsibility and the cost of a collection system nationwide is estimated at 296 million SEK per year.
– If passed on to consumers, it corresponds to a 23 öre price increase for a T-shirt, says Birgitta Losman.
But for there to be any collection, consumers are also required to do their part and in the investigation, households are singled out and forced to take responsibility. But no penalties are proposed for those households that do not contribute.
– Complementary tools may be needed to help consumers do the right thing. But many want to do the right thing, says Birgitta Losman.
The idea is that there is at least one place per municipality for the collection of textiles.
– It is likely that a materials company will be formed and that when you install it, it will make it as accessible as possible to consumers, says Birgitta Losman.
In the research, there is no collection proposal in the vicinity of homes.
– Textiles are quite a suitable product to store for a time in a bag and there is a risk that collection near the property may cause moisture and mold in the material. It is extremely important that the material is of high quality so that we can reuse and recycle the fiber, says Birgitta Losman.
The responsibility of the producer is one of the points of the so-called January agreement, which is the agreement between the ruling parties and the Center Party and the Liberals.
– Producer responsibility is something that is very efficient and, as we have seen before, benefits can also be obtained from waste, says Minister of Environment and Climate Isabella Lövin (MP).
Responsibility of the textile producer
The objectives are to achieve environmental benefits and increase the reuse and recycling of textiles and that the responsibility for waste management falls on producers according to the principle that the polluter pays.
The investigation proposes that producers join a harvesting system that has a permit from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
Each year 144,000 tonnes of textiles are traded on the Swedish market. 86,500 tons are discarded annually, which corresponds to 9.3 kilos per person.
The collection goal is for the amount of textile waste to be disposed of as residual waste to decrease by 90 percent by 2036 compared to 2024.
The legislative changes necessary for the implementation of the proposal are expected to enter into force on January 1, 2022, but in practice producer responsibility would be introduced on January 1, 2024. The following year, there will be EU requirements for the selective collection of textiles.
