FAQs

Answering common compliance questions

FAQ about EPR Textiles

Do you have questions about Extended Producer Responsibility for textiles in the Netherlands? Find answers to the most frequently asked questions below.

Is your question not listed? Feel free to contact us at netherlands@erp-recycling.org. We’re happy to help!

Uitgebreide producentenverantwoordelijkheid (UPV) betekent dat producenten verantwoordelijk zijn voor het afvalbeheer van de producten die zij op de Nederlandse markt brengen. Dit omvat zowel financiële als organisatorische verantwoordelijkheden tijdens de afvalfase. Het gaat om Nederlandse importeurs, fabrikanten en buitenlandse aanbieders die producten direct aan Nederlandse eindgebruikers leveren.

The Dutch government aims for the textile industry to be circular by 2050. Currently, half of all textiles are discarded as non-recyclable waste after use. To help change this, the Dutch government is introducing new legislation for the preparing for reuse and recycling of textile products. These new rules will encourage businesses in the textile industry to adopt more sustainable production methods and to reduce waste by incorporating more recycled content in their textiles.

The rules apply to producers, which includes importers, manufacturers and foreign suppliers, who place newly made items of clothing and/or household textiles on the Dutch market. ‘Placing on the market’ means the first making available of these types of textiles on the Dutch market. This is done on a professional basis, irrespective of the selling technique used.

It does not matter to whom the textile products have first been made available to. This can be another store, a company or a consumer. The textiles can be charged or made available free of charge.

The rules only apply to producers of the following types of newly manufactured textiles:

  • clothing, such as shirts, sweaters and trousers, including work clothing
  • bedding, such as duvet covers and sheets
  • table linen, such as tablecloths
  • other household linen, such as towels and tea towels

In essence, there are three types of ‘producers’ of these textiles:

  • manufacturers based in the Netherlands
  • importers based in the Netherlands
  • foreign suppliers that supply their textile products directly to end consumers in the Netherlands

Suppliers of newly manufactured clothing and household textiles who are based outside the Netherlands and supply their products directly to end consumers in the Netherlands (including through online channels) are required to appoint an individual or a legal person resident in the Netherlands as their ‘authorised representative’. The authorised representative will fulfil the producer responsibility obligations, such as the registration of the represented producer(s).

Een textielproduct omvat alle materialen die volledig bestaan uit textielvezels. Dit kan variëren van onbewerkte tot afgewerkte producten, inclusief halfbewerkte en geconfectioneerde varianten, ongeacht de gebruikte meng- of assemblagetechnieken.

Wat is een textielvezel?
Een textielvezel is:

  • Een flexibel, fijn element met een grote lengte ten opzichte van de doorsnede, geschikt voor textieltoepassingen.
  • Een smalle strook of buis (max. 5 mm breed), inclusief stroken gemaakt uit bredere materialen of folie, vervaardigd uit grondstoffen zoals vermeld in Bijlage 1, Tabel 2 van Verordening (EU) nr. 1007/2011, en toepasbaar voor textieldoeleinden.

Deze definities zijn vastgelegd in Verordening (EU) nr. 1007/2011 van 27 september 2011, betreffende textielvezelbenamingen, etikettering en merking van textielproducten

De UPV textiel is van toepassing op producenten die specifieke textielproducten op de markt brengen, namelijk:
  • Kleding
    • Consumentenkleding (douanecodes 61 en 62)
    • Bedrijfskleding (douanecodes 61 en 62)
  • Huishoudtextiel
    • Bedlinnen (douanecode 6302)
    • Tafellinnen (douanecode 6302)
    • Overig huishoudlinnen, zoals handdoeken en theedoeken (douanecode 6302)

Het betreft uitsluitend nieuwe producten, geen tweedehands. De materiaalkeuze – virgin of gerecyclede textielvezels – maakt daarbij niet uit.

Alleen textielproducten met de genoemde douanecodes, zoals vastgelegd in Afdeling XI van Deel II van Bijlage I van Verordening (EEG) nr. 2658/87, vallen binnen de scope. Producten met andere codes vallen buiten de UPV textiel.

In de toekomst wordt een mogelijke uitbreiding van de UPV textiel onderzocht, bijvoorbeeld om schoenen op te nemen.

De UPV textiel is uitsluitend van toepassing op producenten die nieuwe kleding (zowel consumentenkleding als bedrijfskleding) en nieuw huishoudtextiel (zoals bedlinnen, tafellinnen en huishoudlinnen) op de markt brengen.

Het verkopen van tweedehands kleding of huishoudtextiel valt niet onder de UPV-verplichtingen.

De volgende textielproducten vallen niet binnen de reikwijdte van de UPV textiel:

  • Tassen en riemen (douanecode 42)
  • Schoenen (douanecode 64)
  • Hoofddeksels (douanecode 65)
  • Dekens (douanecode 6301)
  • Gordijnen, vitrages en rolgordijnen (douanecode 6303)
  • Bedspreien (douanecode 6304)
  • Zakken (douanecode 6305)
  • Dekkleden, zeilen en tenten (douanecode 6306)
  • Dweilen, vaatdoeken, poetsdoeken en stofdoeken (douanecode 6307)
  • En andere vergelijkbare producten (de lijst is niet uitputtend).

De douanecodes (tussen haakjes) verwijzen naar Afdeling XI van Deel II van Bijlage I van Verordening (EEG) nr. 2658/87.

  • Eenmalige registratie: Tussen 1 juli en 12 augustus 2023 moeten producenten zich registreren en doorgeven hoeveel textiel ze het komende jaar verwachten te verkopen.
  • Inzamelingssysteem: Producenten moeten een toegankelijk systeem opzetten voor het gratis inzamelen van afgedankte textielproducten.
  • Gebruik van gerecyclede vezels: Producenten moeten meer gerecyclede textielvezels in hun producten verwerken.
  • Hergebruik- en recyclingdoelen: Vanaf 2025 gelden jaarlijkse minimumdoelen voor hergebruik en recycling. Bijvoorbeeld: in 2025 moet 50% van het textiel hergebruikt of gerecycled worden; in 2030 stijgt dit naar 75%.
  • Jaarlijkse rapportage: Producenten moeten elk jaar een rapport indienen waarin staat hoe ze aan de verplichtingen voldoen en hoeveel textiel ze hebben verkocht.

The EU Batteries Directive compels battery producers to pay for the collection and recycling of depleted batteries.

Compliance schemes are organisations that producers use to manage recycling obligations. All schemes are registered and controlled by the relevant authorities.

The term “Battery Producer” extends beyond battery manufacturers to any company imports batteries or products that contain batteries. Retailers that import their own brand batteries or batteries within products are also classified as battery producers.

In Spain all battery producers need to comply with the regulation, regardless the amount of batteries they put on the market. Becoming a member of a compliance scheme is the alternative the vast majority of producers use to comply with this regulation.

Battery compliance schemes make arrangements to collect batteries from collection points such as local authority sites, shops, offices and schools, often using existing collection rounds where possible to minimise costs and carbon emissions.

If batteries are discarded with household waste, the cost of collection and disposal is borne by local authorities. Landfill is an increasingly expensive method of disposal, as landfill sites become full and landfill taxes increase. Recycling will shift the cost of disposal to battery producers. Producers have an obligation to collect and treat batteries in proportion to the amount they sell each year. The legislation has set increasing targets until 2021, when 50% of batteries must be recycled.

Local authorities collect waste batteries at their recycling centres and other municipal facilities. Battery compliance schemes then collect from these sites for free and sort and treat the batteries. There will be no cost to local authorities and no effect on council taxes, as battery producers will be paying for this service.

Consumers can take their waste batteries to any collection point, such as local authority recycling centres or shops that sell batteries. Moreover, workplaces, libraries and schools will also collect waste batteries.

Distributors have to accept the return of spent portable batteries and accumulators at no cost for the holders or end users of such, and they cannot require them to purchase new portable batteries or accumulators.

Battery recycling is good for the environment. Some batteries contain toxic metals (such as nickel, cadmium or mercury) that cause pollution if they end up in landfills or incinerators. Recycling batteries also means that the valuable metals can be re-used and saves energy by reducing the need for raw materials.

Yes. All types of batteries can be recycled, both disposable and rechargeable. The only batteries that are exempt from this Directive are those used in equipment related to national security interests, arms, munitions and war material.

There are approximately 43,500 AA alkaline batteries to one tonne.

It was the first Directive that addressed a series of measures which main target was to limit the generation of packaging waste and promote recycling, reuse and other ways of valorization for these waste; considering elimination as the less valuable and last alternative.

  • Collect and separate household waste.
  • Deposit used batteries in appropriate containers.
  • Take old household appliances to civic amenity sites or retailers when buying a new one equivalent.
  • Acquire new eco-friendly products.

  • Respect the “producer responsibility principle”.
  • Factor recycling into total product cost.
  • Declare quantities of produced/imported items.
  • Meet all legal obligations through compliance schemes such as ERP.

  • Select products from reliable importers and producers and who can provide their registration number.
  • Provide or support collection points for WEEE and Batteries.
  • Raise awareness about recycling.

  • Promote recycling of local household waste.
  • Provide collection points for WEEE and Batteries.
  • Cooperate with schemes to manage waste through appropriate channels.
  • Raise awareness about recycling.

  • Manage compliance obligations and declarations for producers.
  • Organise collection and treatment of waste.
  • Separate waste for treatment and re-use.
  • Optimize the recycling/waste cycle.
  • Organize recycling days and other events to raise awareness about recycling.
  • Inform Autonomous Communities of the waste management results each year.