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This February newsletter is chock-full of policy news on food contact materials and single-use packaging, recommendations for an EU Framework on Sustainable Resource Management, as well as interesting learning opportunities on bio-waste management and the implementation of reuse systems across Europe.
   

White paper for an EU within planetary boundaries: Sustainable resource management in the EU

Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) has joined forces with a coalition of environmental NGOs to call for urgent EU action on sustainable resource management. With 90% of global biodiversity loss and water stress, 50% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and over 30% of air pollution health impacts being caused by resource extraction and processing, it is imperative that European policymakers take off their blinders and address the systemic links between the climate crisis and other worsening global crises.

In this white paper on
sustainable resource management in the EU, we urge the EU to introduce a framework on sustainable resource management, including science-based and binding reduction targets on the EU's material footprint to 5 tonnes per capita by 2050.

   
   

Zero waste news

     
New ZWE Live! webinar on the future and present of reusable takeaway packaging in Europe on 5 March 2024

Mark your calendar for 5 March to join us for our next webinar, which dives deep into the groundbreaking practices reshaping the EU packaging landscapeThis session offers a platform to witness and learn from the inventive and inspiring approaches European municipalities are adopting to move beyond traditional recycling efforts. 


In the webinar, you'll have the opportunity to hear from leading voices in the field, including:
  • Florentin Letissier, Deputy Mayor of Paris, who will share insights on Paris' motivation to prioritise reuse and waste prevention ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics;
  • Simon Rossau, Project Manager for Circular Packaging Systems in the municipality of Aarhus, who will tell us about the city's journey towards accessible and interoperable reuse systems;
  • Nathan Dufour, Reuse Systems Manager and Leader of the ReuSe Vanguard Project (RSVP) at ZWE, who will moderate and share knowledge from the project.
     
Last chance to join the #LIFEBIOBEST workshop in Lyon, France on 13-14 March 2024

On 13-14 March the LIFE BIOBEST project will be organising its second in-person workshop, this time in Lyon, France. Registrations are closing soon, so if you've considered joining, now is the time to sign up!


Organised in collaboration with ZWE member Zero Waste France, the workshop "Bio-waste breakthrough – Learning from European pioneers to improve your local system" gives participants the chance to discover Europe’s best practices in bio-waste collection and recycling, drawing inspiration from the success stories of recognised frontrunners.


Important details about the workshop:
  • Language - the workshop is bilingual (French and English) with simultaneous translation provided for participants.
  • Time - the workshop takes place over the course of one and a half days; the first will focus on lessons learned with presentations from frontrunners, while the second includes a field trip exploring local collection and processing of bio-waste.
  • Location - the workshop takes place at L'Orangerie Lyon Confluence in Lyon, France.

Want to know more about the workshop before signing up? Check out the speakers and event agenda.

   
   
     
Marking International Social Justice Day as a movement
Every year on 20 February, we come together to celebrate World Day of Social Justice. This day is of particular importance to the zero waste movement, as our work to mitigate the climate crisis and its impact on human societies cannot happen without embedding social justice and just transition.

To learn more about social justice in the zero waste movement, you can check out this explainer on justice and equity by our global network GAIA, as well as this blog on our European members' work to further social justice in their local context.
EBM: Campaign to clean Slovenia of digital waste
Our member Ekologi brez meja (EBM) has created a new campaign to bring attention to a type of waste that most people forget about - the digital kind in our inboxes and on our hard drives. The Let's Clean Slovenia of digital waste campaign mobilises citizens to take charge of their digital footprint by removing invisible waste from their devices and online accounts, minimising their carbon footprint one GB at a time. The campaign is part of the Digital Cleanup Day on 16 March, after which EBM will add up the number of GBs deleted.
FoE Cyprus: New project to support youth climate activism
Together with five European partner organisations, Friends of the Earth Cyprus (FoE Cyprus) has launched the GreenViDialogue project with the aim to support and engage young people in climate activism. The Erasmus+ funded project will take place in Italy, France, Cyprus, Estonia, and Greece, where the project partners will create an online platform containing guidance and tools on how to create participatory videos to further the environmental cause.
   

Changemakers

     
Each month, our ZWE Changemakers campaign shines a spotlight on one of our member organisations. In February, we want to present you with one of our Alpine members, Zero Waste Switzerland.
   
   

Policy news

     
Functionalisation of paper and cardboard
What's inside food-contact paper packaging? Plastic.
Response to 2040 EU climate target proposal: methane must be addressed
Policy brief including the regulatory barriers for bio-waste separate collection and treatment
Improved and homogenised datasets on municipal bio-waste management in the EU
Joint letter calling on the EP to strengthen food waste reduction targets in the WFD revision
   

Other highlights

     
#MeetTheTeam – Alexandra Clipa
Why fashion’s ‘recycling’ is not saving the planet - Euractiv
   
     
   

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.

   

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