- The textile industry in the European Union generates 16 million tonnes of waste every year, with only 25% of textile waste being recycled. Meanwhile, less than 1% of textile materials are recycled into new clothing.
- To collect 25% of the volume placed on the Latvian market, at least 500 textile sorting containers/points would need to be established.
- Latvian producers are not the largest generators of textile waste, as they produce only 1,500 tonnes of waste per year.
- The costs for maintaining a textile sorting system could provisionally amount to approximately three to four million euros per year, or 150 euros per tonne of textiles placed on the market.
- The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development has drafted amendments to the Waste Management Law and the Natural Resources Tax Law, which are currently in the coordination process.
- The amendments to the Natural Resources Tax Law set out a framework for the establishment and application of an extended producer responsibility system for textile products.
- In total, 91% of those surveyed support the implementation of a sorting and collection system for worn-out and unwanted textiles in Latvia.
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In recent weeks, both in the Saeima and the Cabinet of Ministers, the thesis has been heard once again: “We must act this way, otherwise there will be penalties, infringement procedures, etc.” Often, such a pseudo-argument completely excludes reasonable disputes, discussions, or alternatives, forcing those responsible to make decisions hastily and not always in the interests of Latvia. Why is that?
Old habits are hardening - someone somewhere knows better, let us rely on them
Lack of sufficient capacity or laziness to defend a different point of view
A generation of cabinet officials has been created who are accustomed to accepting rather than delving into matters
This is a serious problem for Latvia for which no solution is being sought. It will probably be all right somehow...
A textile sorting system is at our door. Who will pay for it?
