Reuse in action: a tale of two cities

Zero Waste Europe, in partnership with the cities of Aarhus and Copenhagen, and with the support of Tomra and New Loop, hosted a two-day study tour in Denmark. City officials, policymakers, civil society organisations, producer responsibility organisations and reuse entrepreneurs came together and explore how cities can scale reuse systems that actually work.

Over these two days, participants:

Saw first-hand how city-wide reuse systems are reducing single-use waste
Heard from the people making change happen; and
Participated in workshops and discussions designed to give them a clear, actionable blueprint for implementing reuse in their own city.

Practical information

Location: Copenhagen and Aarhus

Dates: 5-6 March 2026

Places available: 50 (priority access for ReuSe Vanguard Project (RSVP), Elevating Reuse in Cities (ERIC), and Mission Zero Academy (MiZA) cities and partners) – on a first come, first served basis

Why reuse – and why now?

European cities are drowning in single-use packaging. Every year, an estimated 500 billion single-use cups are disposed of globally. Most are only used for a few minutes, but they persist in the environment for centuries. Municipalities bear the cost: 30–50% of urban litter management budgets go to cleaning up single-use waste, while recycling rates remain low.

While more and more European cities are testing reuse through event pilots, voluntary schemes, or HoReCa initiatives – often alongside levies or regulatory measures to curb single-use – many critical questions remain:

What makes a city-wide reuse system successful?

How can public-private partnerships be structured to enable competition while ensuring standardisation, inclusivity, and interoperability in the long run?

How can cities move from short-term pilots to durable, scalable systems?
Which policy, governance, and financial frameworks deliver real results?

This field trip is designed to answer these questions – grounded in real operational experience and building on the expertise of a multi-stakeholder group of participants.

From pilots to city-wide systems

Denmark is leading the way with city-wide reuse systems that prove another model is possible. The cities of Aarhus and Copenhagen offer a real-world laboratory for cities ready to move beyond pilots and scale reuse effectively.

Aarhus: Since January 2024, over 1.5 million reusable cups have been returned through the REUSEABLE system, demonstrating city-wide reuse at scale across events, nightlife, and take-away.

Copenhagen: In November 2025, Copenhagen launched its city-wide reuse system, helping cafés, restaurants, and stores to seamlessly integrate reuse into their daily operations.

Agenda overview

[subject to change]

⚠️A detailed agenda will be available in January 2026 and sent to confirmed participants.

4 March 2026 | Arrivals in Copenhagen
- Evening:
  - Optional informal dinner for those who wish to join (at own cost).

5 March 2026 | Day 1 – Copenhagen
- Morning:
  - Presentation and discussion: City of Copenhagen and New Loop
  - Site visit to the citywide reuse system
- Midday:
  - Networking Lunch
- Afternoon:
  - Travel together to Aarhus (bus/ferry or train – TBC) with debrief on the site visit.
- Evening:
  - REUSEABLE – 2nd anniversary celebrations

6 March 2026 | Day 2 – Aarhus
- Morning:
  - Welcome and site visit to the citywide reuse system
- Afternoon:
  - Interactive workshop for hands-on learning, discussions, and action planning – End of the programme (16.00)
  - Individual travel arrangements (at own cost)

Logistics and costs

⚠️Attending this study tour is free of charge.

However, participants are responsible for their own travel to and from Denmark and accommodation. A logistics pack will be provided to confirmed participants to help with travel arrangements and booking accommodation.

➡️ Participants are expected to travel to Copenhagen on 4 March 2026, as the event will start in the morning of 5 March 2026.

What will you gain?

This two-day field trip and workshop, part of the ReuSe Vanguard Project (RSVP), will:

Showcase best-in-class reuse systems in Aarhus and Copenhagen.
Explore the policies, partnerships, and infrastructure that make them work.
Enable peer-to-peer exchange and hands-on problem-solving tailored to your city and context.

Participants will leave with a clear, actionable blueprint for implementing or improving reuse systems in their community.