91997E2824

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2824/97 by Ria Oomen-Ruijten (PPE) to the Commission (1 September 1997)

Subject: Textile recycling

Recently the Council adopted a resolution on a Community strategy for waste management. This resolution suggests that used textiles are not waste.

Does the Commission share the Council's view that used textiles, collected old clothes and used clothing and products obtained from them (eg cleaning cloths and recovered fibres) do not constitute waste and the textile recycling industry depots are therefore not waste dumps?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (13 October 1997)

With regard to the Council Resolution of 24 February 1997 ((OJ C 76, 11.3.1997. )) on a Community strategy for waste management, the Commission is not aware of any reference to the legal status of used textiles.

Description of items as waste has to be made in the light of the definition of waste as laid down in Article 1a) of Directive 75/442/EEC on waste ((OJ L 194, 25.7.1975. )). On the basis of this provision waste is any substance or object in the categories set out in Annex I which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard. As Annex I contains a catch all-entry (Q16 'any materials, substances or products which are not contained in the above categories') every substance or object might be waste.

Accordingly, the notion of discarding is decisive for the status of used textiles. The notion of discarding comprises both disposal and recovery operations as well as operations leading to disposal or recovery. Consequently, used textiles destined for textile recycling have to be described as discarded. Therefore these textiles are waste under Article 1a) of Directive 75/442/EEC. Storage of these materials constitutes storage of waste. However, a recycling industry deposit for the storage of waste can not be described as a waste dump.