“Polish presidency of the EU Council announced breakthrough in early hours after marathon overnight talks on food waste reduction targets and measures to limit a throwaway clothing culture.
The EU has set its first ever legally binding targets for member states to cut food waste, with lawmakers agreeing on a 30% cut across retailers, restaurants, caterers and households by the end of the decade.
For food processors and manufacturers, the 2030 goal is a 10% reduction, with both targets based on the average in the three years to 2023. EU estimates suggest that over 59 million tonnes of food is shovelled into dustbins every year, representing a loss of €132 billion.
Reforms to the EU’s waste framework directive, agreed this morning [February 19, 2025] after a marathon negotiating session behind closed doors between MEPs and government delegates, also target the textiles industry.
New harmonised rules on extended producer responsibility (EPR) mean textile producers and fashion brands will have to pay a fee to help fund waste collection, sorting and recycling, based on how circular and sustainable their products are.
In a measure directly targeting ‘fast fashion’ practices such as cheap, almost disposable clothes from online platforms, EU governments are also empowered to adapt these fees based on the durability of garments.
“The rapidly growing e-commerce market brings many opportunities, but also represents a significant challenge, especially in terms of environmental protection,” the agreed text runs.
The legislation gives leeway to penalise aggressive marketing strategies that encourage clothes to be discarded before they are worn out, practices that according to the legislation are “likely resulting in an overconsumption of textile products and, consequently, an overgeneration of waste”.
Criteria that can be considered include the width of the product range offered by a retailer, and the provision or lack of a repair services and incentives.
Anti-waste campaigners welcomed EU action, but were disappointed by the level of ambition reflected in the headline targets.
“The EU and its member states committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 10 years ago, including a 50% reduction of food waste across the entire supply chain,” said Theresa Mörsen, a policy officer at the Brussels-based NGO Zero Waste Europe…
The agreement is provisional, subject to a rubber stamp from government ministers at an EU Council summit – a procedure which is normally a formality.”
“The political rhetoric in the first five weeks of the Trump regime is giving clear indications that the United States fully intends to invade and seize Canada and Greenland at President Trump’s command. The possible timeline is 6-18 months of political destabilization to weaken the Canadian economy, split political parties, and carry out secret destabilization efforts, including identifying and making contact with Canadians who would betray their country.”
I live in such an unserious state. Hateful and spiteful just to make a point.
All because of a bogus claim from a fringe alt-right “news” sites that schools were keeping litterboxes for students who “identify as animals” (it was actually buckets of litter meant for if a student needed to use the restroom during a school shooting)
Yeah, of course he would.
Being on the cutting edge of bigotry is that asshole’s entire life goal, next to gutting and privatizing Texas public schools.
Like, we all know this is an extension of their campaign of state-sponsored transphobia, but it’s also a way for them to crack down on any behavior they deem as outside their liking.
The collars and accessories thing? Absolutely can be used against any alternative fashion style, especially goths.
The “abnormal behavior” will absolutely be weaponized against neurodivergent kids.
Not mention things like “growling, meowing, hissing”? That’s normal kids playing pretend shit!
This is meant to make trans people look ridiculous, absolutely, but it also a mechanism for forcing as many children as possible into their traditionalist lifestyle boxes, and any child that cares to step out of it must be punished in their eyes.
what’s wild is that using his kid as a human shield is an admission that his would-be killers have more compassion and humanity than he does. if he actually thought the people seeking to kill him were evil radical terrorists then why would he think having a kid as a human shield would help?
Arlington Cemetery strips content on black and female veterans from website
Arlington National Cemetery has scrubbed from its website information and educational materials about the history of black and female service members.
Some of the content unpublished from the site was on veterans who had received the nation’s highest military recognition, the Medal of Honor, according to military news site Task & Purpose.
The content removal is part of a larger effort by President Donald Trump to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices in the military and throughout the federal government.
Approximately 400,000 veterans are buried in the Army-run cemetery, which was established after the US Civil War at the home of the South’s general, Robert E. Lee.
On the cemetery’s website, internal links that directed users to webpages with information about the “Notable Graves” of dozens of black, Hispanic and female veterans were missing on Friday.
amhrancas 