ZERO WASTE EUROPE

It’s another regular weekday. You grab your morning coffee in a reusable cup from Burger King, drink it on your way to work, then effortlessly drop it into a machine at your local supermarket while picking up groceries – just like you’d return a glass bottle. No detours, no hassle, no guilt about single-use waste […]

The post Berlin’s successful gamble: making reuse as easy as bottle returns appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

It’s time to discover and learn more about the people behind Zero Waste Europe’s work and magic! In addition to the ZWE Changemakers series, where you can learn more about our member organisations, we invite you to get a closer look at our staff, what they do, and what inspires them to work for a […]

The post #MeetTheTeam – Nathan Dufour appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

Last week, the Zero Waste Europe team gathered for our yearly team retreat. With the borrowed motto Polako*, we embarked on three days of deep dives into zero waste topics, workshops on our principles for working with our members, further tailoring our impact framework and how to capture and amplify stories from our network.  Our […]

The post Talks from the heart: how to keep engaged in times of uncertainty? appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

As part of the Waste Framework Directive’s (WFD) latest revision, the European Union has for the first time approved legally binding targets for food waste prevention to be met at the national level by the end of 2030: 10% in food processing and manufacturing and 30% in retail, restaurants, food services, and households. It is […]

The post Methane mitigation and the WFD: Slashing emissions begins with food waste prevention appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

Back in May 2025, our members unanimously adopted our 2025-2030 Strategic Framework that emerged from the collective wisdom of our network, also closing a thoughtful collective process.  Our newly adopted Strategic Framework 2025-2030 represents more than just a roadmap. It embodies our commitment to collective wisdom, participatory leadership, and the courage to nurture hope during […]

The post Building hope through collective vision and action: our 2025-2030 Strategic Framework journey appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

In the shift to a circular textile system, it’s easy to focus on the visible parts—collection bins, sorting technology, recycling plants, resale platforms. But there’s an invisible layer that makes or breaks all of it: data. Without reliable, shared data, municipalities, businesses, and recyclers are left guessing. With it, they can design smarter systems, reduce […]

The post Three reasons why circular textiles can’t work without data appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

The LIFE4EPR project towards harmonised Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes across the EU is in full swing! Why a project on EPR? EPR supplements the “polluter pays” principle by holding manufacturers accountable for the entire lifecycle of their products and packaging. While EPR is mandated in EU laws like the Waste Framework Directive, its implementation […]

The post The LIFE4EPR project on Extended Producer Responsibility enters the scene appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

*(or the path forward after failed negotiations) After more than 2 years and 1200 hours of negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty, the INC5.2 meeting in Geneva ended without agreement. The script of this last stage of negotiations was a repetition of the script we have been seeing in the five preceding INCs. From Uruguay […]

The post The Global Plastics Treaty: to be or not to be* appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

“Less is more” is a common expression reminding us that the most impactful and satisfying results are sometimes achieved by focusing on simplicity over complexity and abundance. It encourages us to focus on what truly matters.  At ZWE, we believe that a clean, circular approach is what truly matters when it comes to achieving long-term economic […]

The post Behind the EU’s regulatory simplification: clean but not green? appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

It’s time to discover and learn more about the people behind Zero Waste Europe’s work and magic! In addition to the ZWE Changemakers series, where you can learn more about our member organisations, we invite you to get a closer look at our staff, what they do, and what inspires them to work for a […]

The post #MeetTheTeam – Joan Marc Simon appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

Across Europe, urban parks are becoming pioneers in the movement towards circular, waste-free living. These green spaces, traditionally seen as places for rest and recreation, are now being transformed into living labs for sustainability thanks to the Zero Waste Urban Parks (ZWUP) project. From parks to prototypes for change Funded by the EU’s Erasmus+ programme, ZWUP is an […]

The post What can urban parks teach us about the shift to Zero Waste cities? More than you might think appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

Final reflections from the LIFE BIOBEST project—2.5 years of practical solutions to close the bio-waste management gap Across Europe, the soil beneath our feet is in silent crisis. Today, 60–70% of European soils are classified as unhealthy, and nearly half suffer from dangerously low levels of organic matter. When soils are degraded, they lose their […]

The post Bridging EU bio-waste legislation and practical solutions for healthier soils appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.