European Union advocates for stringent regulations to decrease food waste and control the fast fashion industry
The European Union has taken a significant step towards reducing food waste and the environmental impact of fast fashion with the passing of a new law. The legislation aims to address concerns about illegal products on platforms like Shein, as well as the environmental consequences of food waste and the textile industry.
The food industry has been tasked with trimming its losses by 10%, while households, retailers, and restaurants must cut their waste by 30% by 2030 compared to 2021-23 levels. This ambitious target is expected to reduce the water, fertiliser, and energy used in food production, processing, and storage.
The updated 2008 directive on waste in the EU now extends its reach to textiles for the first time. Producers will be responsible for the cost of collecting, sorting, and recycling clothing, carpets, mattresses, and more. This move is aimed at addressing the alarming statistic that less than one percent of textiles are recycled worldwide, with over 12 million tonnes thrown out annually in the EU alone.
Organizations like Slow Food Deutschland and DEHOGA Bayern are actively involved in reducing food waste across Europe. However, specific details on whether these efforts are explicitly included in the newly enacted legislation are not readily available. The European hotel, restaurant, and cafe association (Hotrec) emphasizes the importance of raising consumer awareness to reduce food waste, as households account for more than half of Europe's food waste.
The new law also targets the fast fashion industry, aiming to stem the tide of ultra-cheap fashion imports, many from China, sold by platforms such as Shein. Last year, 4.6 billion parcels entered the EU, with nine in ten arriving from China. To curb the flood of low-cost packages driven by fast-fashion sales, the EU has proposed a €2 flat import fee on small parcels.
The new law has the potential to make Europeans more mindful of what they eat, wear, and throw away. However, environmental groups such as WWF are concerned about the exemption of farmers from waste-reduction targets in the new law. They are also wary of the environmental impact of donated clothes in the developing world.
Each person in the 27-nation EU generates approximately 130 kilogrammes of food waste annually, totaling 60 million tonnes. Slashing food waste is expected to have a significant positive impact on the environment. For instance, producing a single cotton t-shirt requires around 2,700 litres of fresh water.
The new law sets binding food waste reduction targets for member states, marking a significant step towards a more sustainable Europe. It remains to be seen how effectively these targets will be met and whether they will lead to a significant reduction in food waste and the environmental impact of fast fashion.
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