The corona pandemic has made companies and consumers aware that the European economy runs on imported raw materials. The Russian invasion of Ukraine makes the reliance on imported gas painfully clear. This, coupled with Europe’s goal of climate neutrality by 2050, forces us to ‘reinvent our economic model’, the Commission said.
Because the design of a product determines 80 percent of the possible environmental damage, according to the Commission, this is the key to a sustainable economy. The new ecodesign regulation that Commissioners Timmermans (Green Deal), Breton (Internal Market) and Sinkevicius (Environment) will present on Wednesday should put an end to the throw-away economy.
The framework law proposed by the Commission makes it possible to set binding minimum requirements for the lifespan of almost all products (except food and feed), as well as for their repair and upgradeability. In addition, there will be restrictions on the use of chemicals that limit device recycling, energy consumption and packaging pollution. The Commission also aims (where possible) for a minimum percentage of recycled raw materials in a product.
All that sustainability information is put on the label or in a digital passport so that consumers can make conscious choices. The Commission wants a ban on false or disguising claims, such as ‘green’, ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘good for the environment’. For the transition to a sustainable society ‘we urgently need new ways in which we design, manufacture and use products’, according to the Commission in its draft proposal.
Refrigerators and vacuum cleaners
In doing so, it is building on the existing ecodesign rules for energy consumption. Everyone knows the energy labels for refrigerators, washing machines and vacuum cleaners. The Commission is now proposing to make the package of requirements broader than energy, and applicable to the vast majority of all products. Since the new framework law will not enter into force until 2024 at the earliest, the Commission wants to strengthen existing legislation in the meantime.
According to Timmermans, the textile industry is a sector in which urgent action is needed. Apart from rules for fire safety and the use of chemicals, there are hardly any regulations for the production of clothes that are highly polluting. In addition, a lot of clothing is thrown away. Minimum requirements for recycling would help a lot here. There is also a world to be won in terms of sustainability in the production of building materials and shoes.
The Commission wants swift action against the waste stream of old smartphones, tablets and laptops. Users are frustrated at how quickly their devices break, become obsolete and cannot be updated or repaired. Mandatory rules for lifespan, repairability, upgrades and reuse should change this. The Commission determines which rules will apply to which sectors in consultation with businesses and consumer organizations and after an impact assessment.
Striking is the intention to restrict the destruction of unsold goods. Companies must disclose how many of these outdated products (clothes, telephones, TVs) they dispose of as waste each year. The Commission is considering a ban on destruction if those numbers don’t drop fast enough.