Mayo TD Alan Dillon has presented new government plans to crack down on fashion waste.

Speaking on RTE Radio this morning, Dillon explained, that the government has launched a public consultation on textile management. The goal is to reduce textile waste. 

He stated, that consumer behaviour is key: "People will reduce their living costs if they wear their clothes for longer or buy second hand clothes they will reduce their living costs and reduce their waste."

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But the Fine Gael minister also urged the industry to take responsibility for their actions. The textile sector is one of the biggest polluters in global economy, Dillon said. 

According to him, it is has the fourth highest impact on the environment, after food, housing and transport.

“65% of used textiles in Ireland are either landfilled or incinerated," Dillon explained.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

 “We need to buy less, wear our clothes for longer, and look at second-hand options,” the Minister said, stressing that “consumer behaviour is at the heart of this issue.” 

Dillon claimed there was a real lack of awareness about what to do with unwanted textiles. He called for better collection systems and clear solutions to support a circular textile economy.

“Only 27% of our used textiles are reused and just 9% are recycled,” adding, “the rest are exported, often ending up in African countries.”

To address this, the government plans to introduce an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme. “We want the industry to fund the collection and recycling of textiles,” she said, emphasizing the “polluter pays” principle.

The Minister claimed, “Ireland is ahead of many EU countries in promoting textile circularity,” but warned, “meaningful change will take time.”

Dillon added, that the government is considering an EU proposal for a two-euro flat fee on low-value clothing imports. 

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