TEXTILE FLOWS IN THE BALTIC STATES (AND WHAT ......2017/12/04 · M unic ipal waste c ompanies /...

Webinar 17th April 2020

David Watson, PlanMiljø

TEXTILE FLOWS IN THE BALTIC STATES (AND WHAT THEY TELL US)

Background

• Increasing focus on sustainability in textile value chain in Europe

• Key leverage point: increasing circularity

Slide 2

Goal of mapping

Slide 3

Background



• EU Circular Economy package –separate collection of used textiles 2025

• Baltic States play key role in circularity of Nordic textiles

• How about Baltic’s own post-consumer textiles?

Slide 4

Goal of mapping

Provide picture of flows of textiles in Baltic States as basis for potential circularity actions

Identify challenges and opportunities for region

Background



• EU Circular Economy package –separate collection of used textiles 2025

• Baltic States play key role in circularity of Nordic textiles

• How about Baltic’s own post-consumer textiles?

Slide 5

Wished for result

1. Annual consumption of new textiles

2. Annual consumption of used textiles

3. Separate collection and treatment of textiles from households

4. Challenges in collection and treatment

5. Quantity of discarded textiles in mixed waste

6. Imports and treatment of used textiles

Use of import/export and production data

(output from elements 3. and 6. below)

Survey of charities/commercial collectors, municipal waste companies

ditto

Use of existing picking study data plus mass balance approach

Import/export data and survey of wholesalers/sorting companies

Method

Slide 6

Consumption of textiles

Slide 7

Household expenditure on textiles (2018)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

EU-average Estonia Latvia Lithuania

Euro

/cap

ita

Clothing Household textiles

Slide 8

Consumption by volume of new textiles (2018)

?

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Estonia Latvia Lithuania

kg/c

apit

a

New clothing New home textiles

Slide 9

Consumption by volume of new and used textiles (2018)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16


kg/c

apit

a

New 2nd hand

Slide 10

Comparison to Nordic consumption

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Estonia Latvia Lithuania Denmark Norway

kg/c

ap

ita

New 2nd hand

Slide 11

Collection of used textiles

Slide 12

Separate collection from households

44%

17%

2%

37%

Estonia

67%

9%

17%

7%

Latvia

9%

54%

7%

30%

Lithuania

Slide 13

Separate collection from households Slide 14

Separate collection from households

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000


Ton

nes

Municipal waste companies/ contractors

Brands

Commercial collectors

Charities/social enterprises

Slide 15

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16


kg/c

apita

Consumption New

Consumption 2nd hand

Separate collection

Separate collection from households (as share of consumption)

30%

5%11%

25%

3%8%

Slide 16

0,0

5,0

10,0

15,0

20,0

25,0

30,0

Latv

ia 2

018

Lithuania

2018

France

2018

Estonia

2018

Sweden 2016

Finland 2012

Netherla

nds 2012

Italy

2015

Norway 2

018

Denmark

2017

Germany 2

013

UK 2010

Kg

/cap

ita

consumption of new textiles collection of used textiles

Comparison with other countries

5% 11%

30%36%

31% 20% 39% 15% 40% 43%75%

41%

Slide 17

Treatment of separately collected

textiles

Slide 18

Treatment of separately collected textiles (all Baltics)

Landfill/ incineration in

country 15%

Sold/donated to wholesaler

23%Export for

reuse/recycling40%

Recycled in country

1%

Reuse in country21%

Charitable/commercial collectors


country 42%


15%

Export for reuse/recycling

29%

Recycled in country

1%

Reuse in country13%

All Collectors

Slide 19

Treatment of separately collected textiles (all Baltics)


country 0%


0%


100%

Recycled in country

0%

Reuse in country0%

Brands


country 97%


0%


3%

Recycled in country

0%

Reuse in country0%

(Municipal) waste companies

Slide 20

Treatment of separately collected textiles (Estonia)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

All collectors Charities/privatecollectors

Brands Waste companies

Estonia

Reuse in country

Recycled in country



Landfill/incineration in country

Slide 21

The wholesale sector

Slide 22

Imports of used textiles

0

10.000

20.000

30.000

40.000

50.000

60.000

70.000


ton

nes

Domestically collected Imports

Slide23

0

5

10

15

20

25


kg/c

apit

a

Domestically collected Imports

Imports of used textiles

Rank in EU1st

3rd4th

Slide 24

Reuse (Estonia)26%

Recycled (Estonia)

0%

Landfilled/ incinerated

(Estonia)8%

Reuse (ROW)27%

Recycled (ROW)

39%

ESTONIA

Reuse (Lithuania)

12%

Recycled (Lithuania)

8%

Landfilled/ incinerated (Lithuania)

7%

Reuse (ROW)59%

Recycled (ROW)

14%

LITHUANIA

Reuse (Latvia)38%

Recycled (Latvia)

0%

Landfilled/incinerated (Latvia)

12%

Reused/recycled (ROW)

50%

LATVIA

What happens to importedused textiles?

Slide 25

Key messages

Slide 26

Consumption patterns are relatively sustainable:

• Consumption of new clothing is relatively low in Latvia and Lithuania

• Clothing is used more intensely before being discarded – not throwaway societies

• Consumption of second-hand is high: 1/3 of total consumption in Latvia and Lithuania, 1/6 in Estonia

Slide 27

Domestic collection and treatment of used textiles struggling:• Collection rates are low (but increasing) in Latvia and Lithuania:

majority of textiles end in mixed waste – mostly in landfill• Quality and value of collected textiles low and falling – fast fashion?• Relatively low reuse rates of collected textiles – around 40-45%• Can’t compete with quality of imported used textiles• Very few local recycling options especially in Latvia and Estonia• High share (42%) disposed to landfill/incineration – including almost

all textiles collected by waste companies• No cooperation between charities/commercial collectors and waste

companies in Latvia or Lithuania• Economic viability of collectors challenged especially in rural areas –

even more so by 2025!

Slide 28

Wholesale sector offer challenges and opportunities:

• 3 out of 4 largest importers per capita of used textiles in EU • Baltics provide circular economy services to Nordics• Sector generates 2000 – 4000 jobs in the region• 18% of imports sold 2nd hand within Baltics • Generates 17 000 tonnes of textile waste for recycling but 12 000

tonnes exported for recycling elsewhere• Further 7 000 tonnes of textiles waste are landfilled or incinerated

Slide 29

Key opportunities

• Good conditions for investments in closed loop/open loop recycling facilities –large consistent supply of non-reusable textiles, sorting facilities ready for adaptation

• Good opportunities for large scale upcycling/redesign – consistent supply of used fabrics, lower labour costs, skilled workers. Sales back to Nordic markets?

• Circular consumption culture already exists

But policy commitment needed to achieve and nurture these opportunities!!

Slide 30

Thank you for listening!

David [email protected]

Landfill Incineration

Estonia 34% 66%

Latvia 97% 3%

Lithuania 66% 34%

What happens to textilesin mixed waste streams?

Quantity of textiles in mixed waste streams?

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16


Kg/

cap

ita

Consumption (new plus 2nd hand)

Textiles in mixed waste (mass balance estimate)

Textiles in mixed waste (picking studies estimate)

TEXTILE FLOWS IN THE BALTIC STATES (AND WHAT ......2017/12/04 · M unic ipal waste c ompanies /...

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