The textile sector is resource-intensive. With regard to the production of raw materials and textiles, most of the pressures and impacts related to the consumption of clothing, footwear and household textiles in the Union occur in third countries. In particular, 73 % of clothes and household textiles consumed in Europe are imported. However, such pressures and impacts also affect the Union due to their global impact on climate and the environment. The prevention, preparing for re-use, and recycling of waste textiles are therefore able to help reduce the global environmental footprint of the sector, including in the Union. In addition, the current resource-inefficient waste management of waste textiles is not in line with the waste hierarchy and leads to environmental harm both in the Union and in third countries, including through greenhouse gas emissions from incineration and landfilling.
Text as published in the Official Journal, reproduced verbatim (including any typographical quirks of the source). For the authentic version, see EUR-Lex.
