GREEN GROWTH THE NORDIC WAY Green growth is a key priority for Nordic co-operation in the coming years. “The Nordic Region – leading in green growth” is the Nordic Prime Ministers’ shared green growth initiative under the auspices of the Nordic Council of Ministers. The green growth initiative is a vision based on the joint utilization of Nordic strengths in a number of areas including the waste and recycling sector. The project described here is part of this effort, involving the following Councils of Ministers: Environment, Energy, Trade. See more at www.norden.org/greengrowth or read the web magazine “Green Growth the Nordic Way” at www.nordicway.org In the Nordic countries almost all textile waste is sent to incineration or landfills. There is a huge potential to use the resources in a more sustainable way. The Nordic green growth projects on textile aim to increase the reuse and recycling of this significant part of our waste production. AIM AND OUTCOME There are three on-going projects under the textile part of the Nordic green growth initiative. The Nordic textile reuse and recycling commitment The aim of the project is to develop a Nordic voluntary commitment, including a code of conduct, to assure companies, municipalities and consumers a transparent and sustainable management of used textiles. A Nordic strategy for collection, sorting, reuse and recycling of textiles The aim of the project is to propose a common Nordic strategy for improving infrastructure for collection, sorting and reuse/ recycling of textiles. The strategy could also be used by Nordic Governments and other stakeholders to develop possible new instruments and measures as well as be a competitive advantage for Nordic business and create green jobs. An extended producer responsibility (EPR) system and new business models to increase reuse and recycling of textiles in the Nordic region The aim of the project is to propose and evaluate policy packages which would support extended producer responsibility (EPR) systems and innovative business models which can promote greater reuse and recycling of used textiles. TIME LINE The projects will run from approximately June 2013 to December 2014. Two workshops will be organised during this period to help synthesise and communicate project results, give feedback and clarify next steps. PARTNERS IVL Swedish Environmental Institute; Environice/Iceland; Lund University/Sweden; Copenhagen Resource Institute/ Denmark; Nordland University/Sweden; SYKE/Finland CONTACTS Chairman of the Nordic Waste Group (NAG) Sanna Due- Sjöström: [email protected] Coordinator of NAG Metta Wiese: [email protected] Green Growth Textile Coordinator Yvonne Augustsson: [email protected] TEXTILE WASTE - a future resource for the Nordic region?