📋 Tender Overview
The Ministry of Climate and Environment set up 29. September 2022 appointed a working group with the task of preparing proposals for how a producer responsibility scheme for textiles can be organised in Norway. Today, the working group presents its final report to Minister of Climate and Environment, Espen Barth Eide. Virke has chaired the working group.
We have a small production, but a high consumption of textiles in Norway. Norwegian imports of textiles and footwear correspond to an average of 19.3 kg per capita. It is estimated that around half of our used textiles end up in the residual waste and are incinerated. Less than one per cent of collected used textiles are reused in Norway, most of which are exported.
"Today's production, consumption and waste management of textiles must become more sustainable and circular. The Government will therefore introduce a producer responsibility scheme for textiles that can contribute to waste reduction and increased reuse and material recycling, says Minister of Climate and Environment Espen Barth Eide.
"We find that there is a great commitment among the business community and social actors to reduce the climate and environmental footprint of the textile industry, and they have today provided us with a lot of good input. This is an important environmental issue," says Eide.
The working group has consisted of representatives from Virke (leader), NHO, Avfall Norway, Samfunnsbedriftene, Fretex, Framtiden i våre hender and Naturvernforbundet. The Norwegian Environment Agency has participated as an observer. In addition, the working group has received input from a reference group consisting of representatives from manufacturers, the textile industry, academia, industry and the municipal sector.
- I am pleased that Virke accepted the challenge and has led the working group. It was a wish on my part that the other members of the working group would represent the entire spectrum of actors," says Eide.
"I would like to commend a broad-based working group for being able to discuss solutions to questions that have turned out to be more complicated than we might have imagined. Through our work, we have also gained knowledge that is not only important for the establishment of producer responsibility – but which points to the prerequisites for us to succeed in producing more circular and sustainable textiles in the future, says Tord Dale, director of sustainability in Virke, who has led the work in the working group.
Textile consumption has the fourth highest impact on the environment and climate in Europe, after food, housing and mobility.
This summer, the European Commission also proposed harmonised and expanded producer responsibility for textiles in the EU/EEA. The European Commission proposes that how much producers should pay in remuneration be adjusted based on how environmentally friendly the textiles are (so-called ecomodulation). The remuneration will finance investments in separate collection and sorting, as well as increase capacity for reuse and material recycling.
"We will now read the proposal thoroughly and see the recommendations from the working group in relation to the European Commission's proposal for a producer responsibility scheme for textiles," says Eide.
