| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ReuSe Vanguard Project launches in Rotterdam | | On 18 March, Evernew launched its Statiegeldbeker groundbreaking initiative on reuse systems in Rotterdam.
This exciting initiative by the Evernew project, which is a part of the ReuSe Vanguard Project (RSVP) ecosystem, runs a collective return system for reusable cups. Rotterdam citizens will be able to return cups from one participating location to another thanks to collection machines present in the city's train station. This contributes to a more user-friendly service; reduced ecological footprint; and lower costs for everyone involved. The initiative is also scalable and capable of expanding to other contexts and locations in the future.
Rotterdam is the first RSVP city to launch its interoperable, cost-effective, accessible reuse system, making these an everyday reality for European citizens. The initiatives in the other five RSVP cities - Leuven, Ghent, Barcelona, Paris, and Berlin - will follow throughout 2024!
Mission Reuse, a key partner in the Evernew group, is heavily involved in the RSVP project. Together with Rotterdam, they contributed to creating the first "Blueprint for harmonising the implementation of takeaway food and drinks packaging systems for reuse in Europe" document, published in November 2023.
Living in Rotterdam? Be sure to check Statiegeldbeker's website for more information and to check all the partners involved in this action. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Friends of the Earth Malta joins the ZWE network | | We are happy to share that Friends of the Earth Malta (FoE Malta) has joined our network as an Associate Member. Originally set up under the name Żgħażagħ Għall-Ambjent (Youths for the Environment) in 1985, the organisation has been informing Maltese national policy for nearly four decades.
FoE Malta currently focuses their efforts on sustainable food and agricultural practices, issues related to climate, energy and resource use, as well as environmental education and activism. | | | | | | | | | The recipe to ending food waste in Europe | | On 13 March, the European Parliament voted on the Waste Framework Directive (WFD) revision, setting targets for food and textile waste reduction. While the vote confirmed the political will to tackle the environmental and social impacts of these waste streams, it did not live up to the previous EU Green Deal commitment to slash food waste by 50% from farm to fork.
Together with the Prevent Waste Coalition, Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) calls on all EU Member States to honour their previous commitment to a legally binding target of 50% reduction across the entire supply chain, as outlined by the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3.
As part of our campaign to secure more ambitious food waste reduction targets in the WFD, we created "The ultimate 5-step, one-pot, cost-effective, no-fuss recipe to save food in the EU" infographic to communicate about the issue in a humourous yet informative way.
Want to help support our call?
You can do so by sharing the infographic and our messages across your social media platforms with the hashtags #WFD and #NipWaste. | | | | | | | | | #LIFEBIOBEST workshop: Bio-waste bins and compost learnings from Lyon | | On 13 and 14 March, the LIFE BIOBEST project brought together 70 stakeholders in Lyon for an in-depth workshop on local bio-waste management. Organised in partnership with Zero Waste France, the event drew city officials, waste management experts, and academics into a productive dialogue on improving bio-waste treatment in Europe.
The workshop featured insights from pioneer cities and regions like Milan (Italy), Barcelona (Spain), Krk Island (Croatia), Kreis Borken (Germany), Grand Chambery (France), and Grenoble (France), offering practical knowledge on tailoring collection systems to the local context, educational campaigns for citizens and visitors, as well as the usefulness of bin inspections and financial penalties.
In addition to learnings from frontrunners, the event showcased the latest findings from the LIFE BIOBEST project, including the recently published policy brief and a preview of the upcoming guidelines on bio-waste management strategies. Participants also visited the local Les Alchimistes composting facility, illustrating a tangible application of bio-waste recycling in France. | | | | | | | | | Creating Prevention Pioneers: Insights from our training on plastic prevention and reuse strategies in Berlin | | On 18-20 March 2024, ZWE and the Mission Zero Academy (MiZA) gathered over 50 participants from 20 European countries in Berlin to explore plastic prevention and reuse strategies for cities.
Insights from city officials and representatives highlighted innovative approaches to waste prevention in cities like Geneva, Berlin, and Paris, while workshops included discussions on implementing reusable initiatives and effective communication strategies tailored to local contexts.
Site visits to pioneering initiatives in Berlin, such as VYTAL and the "Nochmall" Reuse Centre, provided practical examples of sustainable practices, leaving the participants with the necessary knowledge and motivation to make zero waste communities a living reality in Europe. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Marking the 2nd annual International Day of Zero Waste | | On 30 March, our global movement celebrates the second annual International Day of Zero Waste. Designated by the United Nations in 2022 to encourage more sustainable production and consumption habits, this day holds a lot of significance to ZWE and our community, as it represents a clear acknowledgement of the zero waste movement's impact in advancing global sustainable development.
However, one day of commemoration is not enough for us. This is why we've dedicated all of March to zero waste and the people behind the solutions, emphasizing the significance of prevention, ambitious local, national and regional policies, rethinking our economic systems, and fostering thriving communities.
Explore the campaign below and help us celebrate International Day of Zero Waste!
| | | | ZWF: No ecological transition without a feminist revolution | | This year for Women's International Day on 8 March, Zero Waste France drew attention to how placing the burden of sustainability on individuals instead of society furthers inequality for women in the home. In this in-depth article, our member looked at how the environmental mental load that accompanies a zero waste lifestyle (such as switching to reusable nappies or packaging-free shopping) impacts women in heterosexual relationships more than their male partners, as they statistically take on a bigger share of domestic labour. | | UKWIN: Unveiling inequality in plastic waste incineration | | As part of Green Peace's annual investigation into UK household plastic waste, The Big Plastic Count, our member United Kingdom Without Incineration Network (UKWIN) has looked into the social justice side of the Global North's plastic addiction, exposing how plastic incineration disproportionatelyaffects marginalised communities. The UK is a major user of incineration, and with incinerators being more than three times as likely to be built in deprived neighbourhoods, marginalised groups are suffering the consequences. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | We had a Green Deal, now Europe needs a Health Deal | | | Joint letter calling decision-makers to vote “polymer-only” allocation method to account for recycled content in SUPD | | | | | Managing materials for 1.5°C | | | | | | | | | | | Level up EU circular economy: Unlock the power of mixed waste sorting - Op-ed by Janek Vähk | | | Recycled polyester or cotton: what our labels hide - Le Télégramme (in FR) | | | | | | | | Zero Waste Europe gratefully acknowledges financial assistance from the European Union: Commission Directorate General (DG) Environment. The sole responsibility for the content of this newsletter lies with Zero Waste Europe. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the funder mentioned above. The funder cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. | | | | Copyright © 2024 Zero Waste Europe, All rights reserved.
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