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The autumn semester is in full swing, and you know what that means—events, events, and more events! This month's newsletter brings you all the essential updates, including our "Better than burning" advocacy campaign calling for a moratorium on waste incineration, upcoming conferences on methane mitigation and systemic change, and inspiring stories from our movement.
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| Better than burning – moratorium on waste incineration now! | |
As you read this, Europe has at least 60 million tonnes more waste incineration capacity than it needs—equivalent to the weight of 6,000 Eiffel Towers. Yet, new incinerators keep getting built, trapping us in a system that burns materials that could be reused, repaired, or recycled instead. Moreover, emissions from waste incineration keep harming our health and our planet.
But communities across Europe are tired of being ignored and are demanding change.
The ‘’Better than burning – moratorium on waste incineration now’’ campaign (22 September – 2 October) is the culmination of a year of advocacy fighting for an incineration-free future. This campaign is a collaboration between Zero Waste Europe (ZWE), our members and allies.
From ZWE members and environmental groups to public health advocates, we're united in our message: Moratorium on new waste incinerators. Transition to proven circular solutions. Investment in what actually works, rather than false, unsustainable, and unhealthy waste management solutions
Add your organisation’s voice to ours by: Using our campaign materials and templates to help us spread the message on social media and other digital channels. Registering for the ‘’Better than burning – stories from communities fighting incineration’’ webinar on 2 October to hear directly from grassroots activists on the health and environmental dangers of incineration.
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| Conference: Methane Matters – Now more than ever | |
Methane matters for climate change mitigation. CH4, or methane, is responsible for a third of global warming to date. With more than half of emissions being caused by human activities, we have a responsibility to tackle the problem.
On 15 October 2025, the Methane Matters coalition will host its second annual conference in Brussels. Join us in person or online for high-level discussions on EU methane reduction and thematic breakouts on how we might reduce CH4 in waste, energy, and agriculture.
Want to come prepared?
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| Webinar: How can the EU Circular Economy Act unlock the potential of EPR? | |
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems are successful primarily at financing the collection and treatment of materials. But when it comes to true circularity and tackling the root causes of the waste crisis, they fall short.
In this webinar, the ZWE network will launch its open letter to the European Commission and present its widely supported recommendations to transform EPR into a key financial engine for Europe. This means directing revenue toward prevention, reuse, and repair. Frontrunner cities, signatories of the “Break the Single-Use Bias” manifesto, and leading reuse operators will share real-world examples, showing how these policy changes could help scale reuse solutions, reduce waste generation, and hold producers accountable for the full lifecycle of their products.
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| IV Estonian Zero Waste Conference: How systems change? | |
Ready to drive systemic change towards a circular economy? Join the IV Estonian Zero Waste Conference in Tallinn on 16-17 October, co-organised by Zero Waste Estonia and ZWE.
This exciting two-day event includes discussions on how societal transformations actually happen, practical workshops on subjects such as phasing out linear systems, and Living Library sessions with changemakers already implementing circular solutions.
You will get to meet and hear from the ZWE team, including:
- Our Executive Director, Esra Tat, on systems change.
- Our Reuse Systems Manager, Nathan Dufour, on how to make reuse systems mainstream.
- Insights from Mission Zero Academy’s Kaisa Karjalainen during the Living Library session.
Join us in one of the most stunning cities in Europe to discuss the future of zero waste and how to increase its impact.
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| MiZA course: Championing reusables in the take-away sector – A practical guide for municipalities | |
On January 22 & 29, the Mission Zero Academy (MiZA) will be launching a new, interactive workshop, led by Deutsche Umwelthilfe, on reusables in the take-way sector.
Aimed at municipalities that want to shift to reuse, the two-part course offers a holistic exploration of the challenges posed by single-use-packaging in the take-away-sector – covering key materials such as plastic, bioplastic and paper. By the end of this course, participants will have the knowledge and tools to understand, analyse, and advocate for well-functioning reuse take-away-systems in their cities.
(Can't wait until January? Not to worry, as MiZA is hosting an info session on Reuse Packaging System Fundamentals on 8 October, which you can join here!) | |
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| European Reuse Barometer Survey: Taking the Pulse of Reuse | |
The 2025 survey for the European Reuse Barometer is open, and we need your help!
The Reuse Barometer is the first data-driven tool to assess the state of reusable packaging in Europe; it provides visibility, actionable insights, and best practices to help companies, policymakers and investors scale reuse solutions.
Are you a reuse business who wants to be featured in the 2nd edition of the Barometer while supporting the growth of your industry? Then don't hesitate to respond—the survey closes on 30 September. | |
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| Mission Zero Academy: Stories from the Mission Makers | |
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BFFP: Putting a spotlight on how supermarkets can fight plastic pollution | | If you're part of the zero waste movement, it's very likely that you've come across the #BreakFreeFromPlastic's (BFFP) annual Brand Audit, where their global network comes together to hold plastic producers accountable by counting the brands they identify during cleanups. This year, BFFP has broadened the scope, adding a new audit to their roster: the Supermarket Audit. The audit offers a global snapshot of how supermarkets are facilitating or hindering efforts to reduce plastic, looking at how their practices influence consumer behavior. With close to 500 audits conducted in 27 countries, the findings are telling: while hardly any stores had implemented zero waste practices like bulk dry goods section, more than half did not provide free, single-use plastic bags—an indication that plastic pollution initiatives are more likely to be implemented in areas where legislation requires it. | | ZW Austria: Investing in sustainability without falling for greenwashing, and other pitfalls | | Our member Zero Waste Austria has published a new guide highlighting three common pitfalls that many fall into when pursuing sustainable investing.
The piece tackles the growing complexity of sustainable finance, where good intentions don't always translate to genuine environmental impact. ZW Austria also draws parallels between financial greenwashing and the misleading sustainability claims we see across industries—from "biodegradable" plastics that don't actually break down, to corporate net-zero pledges that rely heavily on questionable offsets. As more people seek to align their portfolios with their values, this practical guide helps navigate the gap between marketing promises and actual sustainability outcomes.
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| Single-use plastic beverage bottles – EU rules for calculating, verifying and reporting on recycled plastic content | | | Aligning climate and circular economy objectives through an enhanced CBAM | | | |
| Ecodesign preparatory study for product specific measures on scarce, environmentally relevant and critical raw materials and on recycled content | | | The EU Circular Economy Act:
A key opportunity for sustainable resource use, long-term competitiveness, and strategic resilience | | | |
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| Rethink Plastic alliance: Here is what you missed on plastics policy over the summer | | European Newsroom: Why recycling alone won’t solve the
EU’s plastic struggle, featuring
Joan Marc Simon | | | #MeetTheTeam – Nathan Dufour | | | |
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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.
You are receiving this e-newsletter because you opted in via our website, our social media networks, or expressed interest to a member of our team. | |
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