Project summary
TEXAD aims at improving and driving the municipal policy instruments towards a circular model. We contribute towards prevention, proper sorting, collection, and valorisation of textile waste. As waste needs to be transformed from being just waste into new products or secondary raw materials.
Our objectives
- To improve the policy instruments from European municipalities by including and reinforcing circularity in the management of textile waste.
- And adapting and aligning these policies to the requirements set by the new EU regulations.
- The focus will be on policy instruments dealing with waste management. This means waste prevention, separate collection, logistics, sorting, smart waste technologies, valorisation, consumer awareness…
Background
Some 4 - 6% of the EU’s overall environmental footprint can be traced back to textiles, according to the EC Joint Research Centre. Its 2021 report shows that recycling rates for textiles are currently rather low, with 1.7 to 2.1 million tonnes of used textiles collected annually throughout the EU. The majority of the remaining 3.3 to 3.7 million tonnes are thought to be discarded in mixed household waste.
EU has launched a set of new regulations & directives, including the Waste Framework Directive, to oblige EU member states to establish systems for separate collection of textiles waste.
The WFD allows for waste management systems where European municipalities have the general responsibility for collecting waste. Building the project upon this key role, TEXAD aims at improving & driving the municipal policy instruments towards a circular model. This way the project contributes in making it easier to comply with the upcoming regulations.
Project focus
Policy instruments dealing with waste management. This means examining areas of the policies dealing with the whole value chain of waste management for textiles. And on how to engage the key agents from the textile management to ensure a holistic approach that successfully improves European waste management systems (innovative character of the project).
The partnership combines 6 municipalities with strong textile background and best practices to share and one Regional Development Agency (PL). A fashion cluster plays the role of Advisory Partner, connecting the project with key stakeholders (private sector, technology providers, etc.).
Partners' TEXAD websites
Prato Municipality
Mataró Municipality
Enschede Municipality (LinkedIn post)
Stara Zagora Municipality
Santo Tirso Municipality
MODACC - Catalan Fashion Cluster
Rzeszow Regional Development Agency
What will this project change
The updating of policy instruments will support the European municipalities in complying with the upcoming EU legislation on textile waste management.