Synopsis
This Directive amended the Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC. EU Member States are required to transpose the amendments made to national law by 17 June 2027.
Member States will be required to take action to prevent the generation of food waste and binding reduction targets are set.
Member States must also establish extended producer responsibility schemes for textile, textile-related and footwear products by 17 April 2028. Persons placing these products on the EU market will need to make financial contributions for waste management, which will be modulated to reflect environmental performance of these goods.
Summary
Directive (EU) 2025/1892 will amend the Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC on 16 October 2025. EU Member States are required to transpose the amendments made to national law by 17 June 2027.
This legislation will apply across EU Member States.
What will change?
Prevention of food waste generation
Member States will be required to take measures to prevent the generation of food waste. This duty will apply across the entire food supply chain. The required measures will include:
The following targets will apply to Member States by 31 December 2030:
Member States will be required to review and update food waste prevention programmes to reflect these targets.
Extended Producer Responsibility for textiles, textile-related and footwear products
Member States are required to establish extended producer responsibility schemes for textile, textile-related and footwear products by 17 April 2028.
Producers making these products available on the EU market are required to register for and participate in extended producer responsibility schemes, which will cover the costs of collection, sorting and recycling the associated wastes. All producers will be within the scope of the scheme, including those using e-commerce tools and non-EU companies.
Micro-enterprises (fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover and annual balance sheet not exceeding €2 million) will become obligated under the extended producer responsibility a year later, from 17 April 2029.
A new Annex (IVc) defines products within the scope of the extended producer responsibility scheme. Textile products and accessories listed include articles of apparel and clothing accessories, bed linen, curtains, hats, headgear. Footwear and non-textile apparel/accessories listed include footwear and leather apparel.
Registers of obligated producers must be established. Producer Responsibility Organisations may be established, who can manage and discharge obligations on behalf of their members.
Financial contributions required under the extended producer responsibility scheme will reflect the quantity and weight of products and will be modulated based on environmental performance with reference to ecodesign requirements on waste prevention and treatment, circularity and sustainability.
Textile, textile-related and footwear product wastes
Producer Responsibility Organisations must establish separate collection systems for used and waste products listed in Annex IVc. Collection systems must be protected from contamination and adverse weather. Collected materials must be managed in accordance with the waste hierarchy.
Where professionally assessed as fit for re-use at the collection point, used products will not constitute waste.
By 1 January 2026 and every five years thereafter, Member States must assess the composition of collected municipal waste to determine the proportion attributed to textile waste.
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