ZERO WASTE EUROPE

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a policy principle established over 30 years ago to make producers accountable for the entire lifecycle of the products they place on the market. However, when this principle was incorporated into EU policy, its original lifecycle perspective was largely lost, with the focus shifting primarily to the end of life […]

The post Designing Extended Producer Responsibility to deliver on EU’s competitiveness and strategic autonomy agenda appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

2025 International Zero Waste Day shines light on the textiles crisis The fashion industry produces an estimated 92 million tonnes of textile waste annually, with less than 1% of materials being recycled into new clothing. With the average consumer buying 60% more clothing items than 15 years ago and keeping them for half as long, […]

The post Tackling the textile crisis at the 2025 Zero Waste Festival: from overproduction to circular solutions appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

Three years ago, we published this blog. It was about the EU’s plan to fight toxic chemicals and pollution in the European Green Deal. At that time, for the first time ever, Europe was on its way to revising the food contact materials (FCMs) legislation – a dinosaur at almost 50 years old. Everyone agreed: […]

The post Why is toxic food packaging still legal? appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

On 26 March, members of the LIFE BIOBEST project team gathered in Brussels for a hybrid meeting with representatives from the Directorate-General for Environment under the European Commission. This exchange comes at a critical moment, as the EU works to improve bio-waste management practices across Member States and ensure proper implementation of the separate collection […]

The post LIFE BIOBEST exchanges with the European Commission in Brussels appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

Across Ukraine, cities are facing growing challenges in managing household waste, challenges made even more complex by war, economic hardship, and a lack of infrastructure. Yet four municipalities, Lutsk, Kherson, Pokrovsk, and Derhachi, are leading the way toward sustainable, effective solutions through the Zero Waste Cities in Ukraine project, implemented by the NGO Zero Waste […]

The post The power of collaboration: building Zero Waste Cities in Ukraine appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

Imagine living near a factory and discovering that toxic chemicals could be drifting into your backyard. That’s exactly what’s happening in Turňa nad Bodvou, where a nearby cement plant has come under fire for polluting the local environment. New research by OZ Green Element in cooperation with Friends of the Earth – SPZ, carried out […]

The post The hidden environmental pollution near the cement plant in Turňa nad Bodvou appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

Our society and planet are at a defining moment in our collective zero waste journey. In a moment where the urgency of the environmental crisis is being pushed aside by narratives on competitiveness, industrialisation, and political uncertainty, it is easy to fall into a mindset of feeling like there is no alternative. The fact remains […]

The post Weaving change: the 2025 Zero Waste Festival and the ZWE network’s contributions to the UN International Day of Zero Waste 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 – Giulia Lodi appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

An increasing number of event organisers are opting for more sustainable solutions that reduce single-use packaging waste. However, many face challenges due to a lack of adequate resources or access to the services needed to implement these solutions effectively. The waste management company “Komunala Škofja Loka”, based in Škofja Loka, Slovenia, is one such organisation […]

The post Komunala Škofja Loka: cutting single-use waste with reusable cup rentals appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

There is a critical window of opportunity within the EU right now to create a system for meaningfully preventing and managing textile waste. Within the EU, the separate collection of textiles has become mandatory since 1 January 2025 and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes will be mandatory from 2027-28. While these legislative requirements are small […]

The post STICT – A new thread in Europe’s journey towards circular textile systems appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

Over the last two years, the municipalities of Viladecans and Torrelles de Llobregat have been at the forefront in Catalonia with the ERIC (Elevating Reuse in Cities) project, a European initiative led by Zero Waste Europe to reduce single use plastic waste and implement reuse systems at the local level. A roadmap for change With […]

The post Tackling plastic waste locally: A Catalan success story appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

It’s been over a year since Member States got the official EU notice to implement systems that offer citizens the chance to separate their bio-waste—waste created primarily from the food we eat and the gardens and parks we spend our time in.  Those expecting a mad rush of change from authorities to install a separate […]

The post Mandatory yet makeshift: bio-waste management across the EU in 2025 appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

Every year, 1.5 million disposable nappies are generated in the municipal crèches of the city of Brussels. In a world where resource management and waste reduction are becoming essential, the municipality has decided to make a commitment through its eco crèche project. This innovative model incorporates concrete measures to address environmental, social and health issues. […]

The post Washable nappies at the heart of the eco crèche project – An inclusive, universal and economical solution 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 – Dorota Napierska appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.

The headlines of early 2025 roar with familiar urgency. War continues to devastate communities. Climate impacts intensify. Political divisions deepen across Europe and beyond. In this cacophony of crises, it’s tempting to lose ourselves in the dominant narrative of decline and despair. Yet, beneath this turmoil, a different story is unfolding – one that rarely makes […]

The post Above the noise: tomorrow’s whispers in today’s storm appeared first on Zero Waste Europe.