From January 2025, a new law for the disposal of textiles will come into force in the EU. It is then no longer permitted to dispose of old textiles with residual waste. Anyone who does not adhere to the new guidelines could face consequences.
Instead, they must be collected in used clothing containers – including damaged items. In addition to clothing, the regulation also applies to bed linen, towels and curtains.
The aim is to no longer landfill or burn these materials, but rather to reuse or recycle them. According to Philip Heldt from the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Center, the clothing industry is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than all international air and sea travel combined. New regulations will also come into force for organic waste bins in 2025.
Challenges in recycling old clothes
According to Heldt's assessment, Germany is well prepared for the new requirements thanks to its existing used clothing collection system. However, there are difficulties with recycling, particularly due to the fast fashion industry and the high proportion of synthetic fibers such as polyester.
“The technology is there,” explains Heldt, but polyester is difficult to recycle and is often burned. Polyester, a petroleum-based material, is often used in place of more expensive natural fibers such as cotton. The mixture of natural and synthetic fibers makes separation and thus recycling particularly complicated. At the same time, research is ongoing into improved recycling processes.
Anyone who does not adhere to the new guidelines could face consequences. It could happen that the garbage disposal simply doesn't take away residual waste containing textiles.
