Ending the era of single-use: a Manifesto for change

A coalition of frontrunner European cities and progressive businesses launched an open manifesto calling for a bold overhaul of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems under the upcoming EU Circular Economy Act.

Current EPR systems are failing to address the root causes of the waste crisis. They remain stuck in outdated, end-of-pipe solutions that neither incentivise true waste prevention nor support reuse at scale.

Our message to EU policymakers is clear:
We need EPR systems that prioritise waste prevention, enable reuse, and hold producers accountable for the full lifecycle of their packaging.

Check the campaign here.

This work is part of the Elevating Reuse in Cities (ERIC) project.

The Manifesto is available in English, Greek, and Portuguese.