The European Parliament has adopted new binding legislation aimed at reducing food and textile waste across the European Union by 2030, setting specific targets for member states and introducing extended producer responsibility requirements for textile manufacturers. The law, passed in Strasbourg on September 9, mandates a 10 percent reduction in food waste generated during processing and manufacturing and a 30 percent per capita reduction in food waste at retail and consumer levels. These targets apply to restaurants, food services, and households across all 27 EU member states.
According to data from the European Commission, the EU generates nearly 60 million tonnes of food waste each year, equivalent to approximately 132 kilograms per person. In the textile sector, the bloc produces an estimated 12.6 million tonnes of waste annually, with clothing and footwear contributing around 5.2 million tonnes. Despite growing awareness, less than 1 percent of global textiles are recycled into new garments or products. To address the increasing volume of textile waste, the legislation introduces mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes.
Under the new rules, companies manufacturing or importing textiles will be financially responsible for the collection, sorting, and recycling of their products at end-of-life. These obligations apply to a broad range of textile products, including garments, footwear, accessories, household linens, and industrial fabrics. The EPR fees imposed on textile producers will be modulated based on criteria such as durability, reparability, recyclability, and overall environmental impact. Producers whose items are designed for longevity and circularity may pay lower fees, while those generating high volumes of short-life or non-recyclable products will face higher costs.
EU mandates binding 2030 food waste reduction targets
Micro-enterprises, defined under EU law as businesses employing fewer than 10 people and with annual turnover below €2 million, will have an extended compliance period. They will be granted an additional year to meet the EPR requirements, resulting in a total implementation window of three and a half years from the law’s entry into force. The legislation also includes provisions to strengthen definitions and classification systems for textile waste. It introduces common EU-level standards to distinguish between waste and reusable textiles, with the goal of improving sorting practices and preventing the illegal export of discarded garments under the guise of second-hand donations.
In parallel, the European Commission will support implementation efforts through the EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste, offering technical guidance, best practices, and access to EU-level funding mechanisms. Member states are required to submit national strategies outlining how they intend to achieve the 2030 reduction targets. The updated waste rules are part of the EU’s broader circular economy strategy and follow months of negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.
Textiles and food waste dominate EU environmental agenda
The legislation now awaits formal approval by the Council before publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, after which member states will begin transposing the directive into national law. With formal adoption now in place, the EU has established legally enforceable obligations that aim to cut environmental impact from food and textiles while increasing accountability across the production chain. The law is designed to standardize waste management practices, reduce landfill dependency, and accelerate recycling efforts across one of the world’s largest consumer markets. – By EuroWire News Desk.