Waste prevention will have new rules. The revision of the Waste Directive focuses on food waste and textiles with new targets. The European legislative process is entering its final phase.
According to Eurostat, 59 million tonnes of food waste is generated each year, which is around 10% of all food destined for retail, restaurant or household consumption. On a per capita basis, this is approximately 131 kg per year. Over 53% of food waste is generated in households and around 20% is generated during food processing and production.
The value of annual food waste production is estimated at €132 billion and the cost of collection and processing is €9.3 billion.
The EU also produces 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste each year. Clothing and footwear account for 5.2 million tonnes of waste, equivalent to 12 kg of waste per person per year. Currently, only 22% of such waste is collected separately for reuse or recycling, while the rest is often incinerated or landfilled.
One year ago, in early July 2023, the Commission presented a revision of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD) with the aim of reducing waste and harmonising the environmental impact of waste management.
The draft Directive introduces, among other things, binding targets for reducing food waste to be achieved at national level. By the end of 2030, EU countries would have to reduce food waste by 10% in processing and production, and by 30% per person combined at retail and consumption level (restaurants, food service and households). This is compared to the amount of food waste generated in 2020.
For textile and footwear products, the Directive proposes to introduce mandatory and harmonised Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes in all EU countries, including eco-modelling fees. It also sets out requirements to ensure that textile waste is managed in accordance with the waste hierarchy.
In the European Parliament, the proposal was referred to the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI). The Committee adopted its position on 14 February 2024.
On food waste, MEPs want to increase the initially proposed binding reduction targets by 2030 from 10% to 20% in food processing and production, and from 30% to 40% per person in retail, catering, food service and households, compared to the annual average generated between 2020 and 2022. These targets should be achieved in each EU Member State by 30 December 2030.
For textile waste, MEPs included blankets, bed linen, curtains, hats, shoes, mattresses and carpets in the list, in addition to clothing. In addition, products that contain textile-related materials such as leather, composite leather, rubber or plastic. The entire list of products will be covered by the mandatory EPR system. They also want EU countries to introduce EPR schemes 18 months after the directive enters into force. Thus, the WFD sets out harmonised EPR schemes that oblige fashion brands and textile manufacturers to pay fees to fund the collection and treatment of textile waste. EU countries may require higher fees from companies whose activities are fast fashion in nature.
On 13 March 2024, the European Parliament approved its proposal at first reading.
In the ongoing European legislative process, the Council adopted its position on 17 June 2024 supporting the Commission's proposal. The text sets a target to reduce food waste per capita by 30% in 2030 compared to 2020, with a focus on retail, restaurants and food services and households. In addition, a 10% reduction target by 2030 is foreseen for the manufacturing and production sector. This is in contrast to the European Parliament's position, which is to increase both targets: from 30% to 40% per person for food waste associated with consumption, and from 10% to 20% for waste arising from production.
Another difference in attitudes is in the reference year. The Council supported 2020 as the reference year for calculating whether the proposed targets have been met. In contrast, the European Parliament prefers an annual average over the three years 2020, 2021 and 2022. MEPs believe that the food waste data was not representative in 2020, when many businesses and traders were not operating due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the Council and the European Parliament agreed with the Commission's proposal that farm losses and other food waste generated in primary production should be excluded.
Hungary, which holds the rotating Presidency of the Council from 1 July 2024, has committed itself to significantly reducing food waste at all levels of the food supply chain and plans to hold a conference on this topic in October 2024.
(source: obaly21.cz)
