Analysis of the amount of textile waste in mixed municipal waste in the Czech Republic between 2016 and 2021
Abstract
The EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles, published in March 2022, sets out the aim to propose binding targets in preparation for the reuse and recycling of textile waste as a part of the revision of EU legislation on waste planned for 2024. However, to set such specific targets for textile reuse and recycling, including the subsequent scaling up of collection and recycling capacities, it is necessary to know the amount of textile waste currently present in mixed municipal waste (MMW). This article thus summarises the results of the analyses of 64 MMW samples performed in the Czech
Republic. The results show that textile waste amounted to 6.16% MMW in 2016-2021. To estimate the total amount of textiles in MMW, the specific data between 2018 and 2020 was used (as these data are unified between the Czech Statistical Office and the Ministry of the Environment). Based on the data for this period, the total textile volume in MMW amounted to approx. 135,989 tons.
Therefore, the article summarises the current challenges for municipal textile waste management following the EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles published in March 2022 by the European
Commission, defines the data gap in the knowledge of the amount of textile waste in MMW in the Czech
Republic, and analyses the possible amount of textile waste in MMW. Although the results only represent the Czech Republic, they can be a valuable input for accurate target setting and as a model for similar analyses performed in other EU countries. Specifically, having data describing the current presence of textile in MMW can form an important base for an evidence-based approach to the design and creation of a network of textile waste collection containers and services prior to the 2025 deadline, in order for it to reflect the existing amounts of household waste. The data can also be used to set targets for textile waste collection, recycling and for reductions of the share of textile in MMW. At the same time, the article indicates that the absence of such data is common, and points to the need for further detailed research in this field.