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Textiles and the environment

Briefing 03-05-2022

The amount of clothes bought per person in the European Union (EU) has increased by 40 % in just a few decades, driven by a fall in prices and the increased speed with which fashion is delivered to consumers. Clothing has the fourth highest impact on the environment of all categories of EU consumption. This impact is often felt in non-EU countries, where most production takes place. The production of raw materials, spinning them into fibres, weaving fabrics and dyeing require enormous amounts of ...

As 2018 gets under way, there are probably more than three million electric cars in circulation in the world. There are also more than six hundred million electric bikes, scooters and motorcycles. Plus a few hundred thousand electric buses and other types of quadricycles having an electric motor. The first part of this paper traces the fast evolving market of electric road vehicles. The second part shows that the production of hundreds of millions of battery packs requires a lot of energy and plenty ...

This STOA study explores waste management in the EU. Around one third of EU municipal waste was sent to landfill in 2012. To turn waste into a resource, waste management objectives must be aligned with the goals of a circular economy transition. This report highlights progress and challenges across Member States and in municipalities for (1) reducing waste, and (2) generating high-quality waste streams for re-use and recovery. It focuses on the current policy landscape, trends, and technologies for ...

This briefing reviews Estonia’s progress in the transition to a circular economy, focusing on a three crucial and related policy areas: waste, renewable energy and sustainable bioenergy. A key challenge for Estonia in terms of moving to a circular economy will be to strengthen recycling, as well as high rates of separate collection in cities including Tallinn – Estonia is not on track to meet the EU’s 2020 targets for municipal solid waste recycling. • The share of renewable energy has increased ...

Unlike the traditional linear economic model based on a 'take-make-consume-throw away' pattern, a circular economy is based on sharing, leasing, reuse, repair, refurbishment and recycling, in an (almost) closed loop, where products and the materials they contain are highly valued. In practice, it implies reducing waste to a minimum. Moving towards a more circular economy could deliver opportunities including reduced pressures on the environment; enhanced security of supply of raw materials; increased ...

New circular economy package

De un vistazo 30-11-2015

A shift towards a circular economy could deliver environmental and economic benefits, but it would also face a number of barriers and challenges. The European Commission is expected to present new legislative proposals and an action plan on the circular economy at the December I plenary session.

Waste streams are flows of specific waste, from its source through to recovery, recycling or disposal. Together they make up the overall waste treated in the European Union (4.6 tonnes per capita in 2012). Waste streams can be divided into two broad types: streams made of materials (such as metals or plastics) or streams made of certain products (such as electronic waste or end-of-life vehicles) which require specific treatment and ultimately feed into materials-related streams. Reports suggest that ...

This document was prepared on behalf of Policy Department A at the request of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy. It reviews the current level of technology development for the recovery of rare earths from electronic waste and examines the parameters that affect its development at the industrial scale and the opportunities arising for high tech SMEs. It also reviews the existing policy framework and provides a set of recommendations for improved implementation of existing actions and ...

Rare earth elements (REEs) are a group of 17 metallic elements mined in ores containing low quantities of REEs. They are a critical raw material for high-tech industries. REEs are imported into the European Union from a very limited number of producers. Alternatives to the primary supply of REEs are being developed to bring relief to the market. Recycling of REEs, from materials used in spent products, provides a secondary supply but closing the REE "life-cycle" is a technological challenge.

Qualitative and quantitative assessment shows that an amendment to create a levy on ships calling at EU ports and a fund to support safe and environmentally sound ship recycling would provide incentives for ships to retain EU flags; however, setup of this system would be complex, raising serious concerns that it may not be in place quickly to achieve objectives.