The European Commission will ban companies from destroying unwanted clothing, clothing accessories, and shoes in an effort to reduce textile waste.

The ban will come into force on July 19 and will apply to large companies, with the measure to be extended in 2030 to medium-sized companies, the European Commission said today.

In addition, existing reporting obligations for large companies on worn clothing that is disposed of as waste will be extended to medium-sized companies in 2030.

Every year, 4-9% of unsold clothing in Europe is destroyed, producing around 5.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Sold goods worth €630 million are destroyed in France every year, while in Germany, 20 million returned items are thrown away.

“The waste figures show the need for action,” said EU Environment Commissioner Jessica Roswell.
“With these new measures, the textile industry can move towards sustainable and circular practices, and we can strengthen our competitiveness and reduce our dependencies.”
She said.

The new rules aim to “reduce waste, reduce environmental damage and create a level playing field for companies adopting sustainable business models,” the commission said.

Some exemptions to the ban will apply for safety reasons or product damage.