22 August 2023

Decoding Eco Contributions: AGEC Law’s Impact on Textile Industry

As written in our previous article, the French government passed France’s anti-waste law for a circular economy, better known as the  AGEC law in 2020. 

Article 15 of the AGEC Law requires all textile products sold in France to be labeled with an environmental impact score by 2024. 

In addition to the environmental impact indicator, producers are required to pay eco-contributions under Article 62 of the AGEC law. Eco contributions are a type of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). This means that producers are financially responsible for the environmental impacts of their products, even after they have been sold.

The AGEC law represents a manifestation of the French approach towards the objectives set forth by Europe in its pursuit of the Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan. Aside from textile, Europe is also focused on packaging and energy.

Explore the declaration process and gain essential insights into the AGEC Act’s connections to EPR and eco contributions.

Circular Progression: How EPR Aligns with the Principles of a Circular Economy

First and foremost, we must begin by elucidating the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), particularly crucial for manufacturers of consumer goods.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is an environmental policy that puts the responsibility for managing a product’s end-of-life on the producer side, rather than the consumer. In other words, EPR holds producers accountable for the environmental impact of their products, from design to disposal (=cradle to grave).

This encourages producers to design products that are easy to recycle and dispose of responsibly, which helps to reduce waste and pollution. All while promoting a more circular economy. Producers refers to any natural or legal person who develops, produces, treats, processes, sells or imports waste generating products.

extended producer responsibility

 AGEC Law and EPR: Spotlight on Eco Contributions

The French AGEC law mandates producers to formulate a prevention and eco-design plan for each specific EPR-sector they are associated with (as outlined in article L. 541-10-1).

In France, producers fulfill their Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations by collaboratively establishing eco-organizations. These eco-organizations manage the EPR framework and assume producer responsibilities. In addition, they also collect financial contribution known as an eco declaration or eco contribution.

The eco-organization model offers producers a collective way of jointly reducing the environmental impact of their products. Instead of individual producers being completely responsible for their waste disposal, it provides a more streamlined and effective approach to EPR management.

The eco-organization model is a way for producers to work together to reduce the environmental impact of their products. It is a more efficient and effective way to manage EPR than if each producer were responsible for their own waste.

Within the French textile industry, Refashion stands as the designated eco-organization responsible for clothing, household linen, and footwear. Playing a pivotal role, Refashion oversees both the prevention strategies and end-of-life management of these items on behalf of the companies introducing them to the market

Which Textile Products Fall Under EPR Guidelines in the AGEC Law?

Currently the Art L 541-10-1 of the AGEC law takes in account the following textile products: 

  • Textile clothing products, shoes, new household linen
  • Sports and leisure items
  • Furnishing and textile decoration items as well as upholstered seating or sleeping products
  • Single-use sanitary textiles
  • Packaging used to market the products
  • Printed paper except books
eco contributions with Pilario

How Pilario simplifies the process of your eco contributions

Our eco contribution tool changes the way you handle your entire declaration processes. Our solution adapts to the changing needs of eco-organisations, so you don’t have to start from scratch each time. All while centralizing your data into a single EPR-focused tool.

One key advantage of our eco contribution tool is the ability to view your product’s highest and lowest contributions. This enables you to start simulating environmental improvements and measuring their impact on contributions and, therefore, on your budget. You can instantly view the results of an eco-design project on your eco-contributions and start optimizing.

Completing the journey, our eco-contribution tool is just Pilario’s starting point. You can easily integrate your declared products into our Life Cycle Assessment tools to discover ways to reduce their environmental impact. Witness the real effects of eco-design projects on your eco-contributions firsthand. Our commitment is to empower your organization, making your contribution to a sustainable future effortless. 

Our BPX Textile Tool calculates the environmental impact score of your textiles, ensuring compliance with future eco-labeling requirements whilst at the same time, you can calculate your eco declaration and of course optimize them! 

Ready to supercharge your sustainability journey? It’s as simple as reaching out to us – your go-to sustainability experts, eager to help you every step of the way!