Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 February 2024
160. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans to provide recycling facilities for duvets and pillows, as opposed to current situation of placing them in the general waste bin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6146/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra'MyWaste.ie', an initiative of the Regional Waste Management Offices on behalf of my Department provides advice on how to manage waste, including duvets and pillows. See www.mywaste.ie/what-to-do-with/duvets-pillows/.
Our current plans for textile waste is set out in a Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy 2020-2025 which establishes our commitment to tackle the environmental degradation caused by textiles in Ireland, in close collaboration with relevant stakeholders. It sets out a range of measures including to develop a separate collection of textiles waste generated by households by 1 January 2025 in line with EU requirements.
My plans for textile reuse and recycling facilities will be informed by policy developments at EU level in textiles which stem from the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles (2022), and specifically the legislative proposal for targeted amendments to the Waste Framework Directive with respect to food waste and textiles published in July 2023. The proposal aims to introduce a mandatory EU wide Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for textile waste to support the EU requirement to have a separate collection of textiles in place by 2025 in line with the waste hierarchy. Negotiations on this proposal started in January and my department is actively involved in the discussions to progress this draft legislation which will support circularity in textiles. A key focus of these negotiations is on preparing for reuse and recycling of textiles which I very much welcome.
My department has also been involved in the very recently adopted Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). Textiles will be a priority product under this Regulation. Under the ESPR the European Commission plan to develop mandatory Ecodesign requirements to make them last longer, easier to repair and recycle, as well as requirements on minimum recycled content. It will also introduce a Digital Product Passport for textiles based on mandatory information requirements on circularity and other key environmental aspects so that there is clear, structured and accessible information on the environmental sustainability of products. This key legislative development will also support the recycling of household textiles.
