Polystyrene fishboxes are polluting our seas with toxic microplastics, but a sustainable switch is underway.
In this factsheet, discover how the BlueFishers project in Tuscany is replacing disposable foam crates with reusable, recyclable alternatives, cutting 35,000 boxes in just 6 months.
Find out how local fishers are leading a practical, circular solution , and how it could scale across Europe.
Available in English.
Europe faces an urgent need to reduce packaging waste and build circular and resilient systems. With the adoption of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), new obligations create a clear framework for expanding reuse in the takeaway sector
This Blueprint provides public authorities, Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs), and other stakeholders with a strategic, practical guide for designing and scaling reuse systems. It draws on hands-on learnings from seven leading European cities under the ReuSe Vanguard Project (RSVP).
Recognising that reuse is a dynamic journey, not a one-size-fits-all model, the Blueprint proposes a shared foundation that aims to meet overarching goals of:
– User-friendliness and operational simplicity.
– Environmental and economic performance.
– Scalability and applicability.
The five essential system criteria outlined – effectiveness, recognition, interoperability, inclusiveness, and guaranteed safety – provide a structured approach to building systems that are legally compliant, user-friendly, high-performing,
and future-proof.
By aligning local actions with the spirit and letter of the PPWR, stakeholders can drive a transition that reduces waste, boosts circular innovation, and meets Europe’s ambitious environmental goals.
Available in English.
This report by Zero Waste Europe and Za Zemiata reveals major misreporting in Bulgaria’s plastic packaging waste data. While official stats claim 50.6% recycling, over half of municipalities report below 10%. Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) are underreporting waste flows by up to 30%, echoing similar issues in Spain. As such, both organisations are demanding EU-level oversight to enforce transparency and real recycling targets. Accurate data is essential for a true circular economy.
Available in English.
The European Union stands at a critical juncture. With six planetary boundaries already breached and a rapidly shifting global economy, the Circular Economy Act (CEA) should serve as a guiding compass to drive how we consume and produce differently, how we empower communities, and build resilient economies through job creation in circular sectors. It must promote value preservation and ensure the strategic use of our resources, while ensuring a safe and toxic-free transition for workers, SMEs, and citizens.
Ahead of the European Commission’s publication of the Clean Industrial Deal (CID), Zero Waste Europe presents its position paper laying out the vision for the CEA: more than a technical fix to the waste crisis, it should serve as a guiding compass within a broader industrial strategy.
Available in English.
Executive summary available in English, Portuguese, and Croatian.
With the final round of negotiations of the Global Plastics Treaty approaching, this industry landscape overview analyses the dynamic around chemical recycling/recovery over recent years in Europe.
Among the overview takeaways is the industry’s acknowledgement that pyrolysis is not ready to help tackle plastic waste and the climate crisis. In fact, it will need fifty additional years to be implemented at a large scale.
In light of this overview, Zero Waste Europe recommends bringing the plastic sector in line with the Paris Agreement by reducing the production of virgin plastic, stopping funding for pyrolysis and gasification facilities, and that methodologies for determining recycled content in plastics follow rigorous transparency and reliable claims.
Available in English.
Executive Summary available in Hungarian, and Croatian.
Chemical experts have told the EU that it must ban polyvinyl chloride (PVC) if it wants to comply with its own laws.
The move by ClientEarth, European Environmental Bureau (EEB) and Zero Waste Europe, comes after the three NGOs analysed a 2023 report by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) concerning PVC and the danger this plastic and its additives pose.
Used in everything from flooring and pipes to packaging and toys, PVC is one of the world’s most produced and widely used types of plastic. But it is associated with a variety of environmental and health problems, including cancer, reproductive impairment and birth defects. Like PFAS, tiny particles of PVC end up in the environment and remain present for long periods of time.
Available in English.
NGOs and businesses have formed a unified voice in this joint letter calling on the decision-makers to consider a real compromise by voting for a “polymer-only” allocation method to account for recycled content in the implementing decision of the Single-Use Plastic Directive (SUPD).
Available in English.
Paper and cardboard require functionalisation so that they can be used in contact with food. Functionalisation may include adding a barrier function to water, grease, gases, etc. This is mainly achieved through the use of plastic, i.e. the combination of polymer(s) + additive(s). Paper and cardboard food packaging are, therefore, not free from plastic. As such, most paper and cardboard packaging remain at the same level as “single-use plastics”, as defined in the European Directive on Single-Use Plastics.
The English version of this report by M. + Mme Recyclage was made possible thanks to the contributions of Ville de Paris, Zero Waste Europe, the Rethink Plastic alliance, and the ReuSe Vanguard Project (RSVP).
Available in English.
After the well-deserved spotlight given to single-use plastics when it comes to their serious environmental impacts, single-use paper-based and cardboard packaging have covertly taken their space, supposedly as a more ‘sustainable alternative’. The associated narrative has, however, created room for doubts (both from consumers and policy-makers) and for misleading solutions But is switching from one single-use material to another (e.g. plastic to paper) really a solution for the ever-growing packaging waste crisis? While the paper and cardboard industry claims so, evidence has proven that these allegations are distorted and false.
This joint factsheet by Zero Waste Europe, #breakfreefromplastic, Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH), the Environmental Paper Network (EPN), Recycling Netwerk Benelux (RNB), and the Rethink Plastic alliance explores the material aspects of paper and cardboard packaging used for direct food contact applications – including, among others, the findings from the “Functionalisation of Paper and Cardboard” report by M.+Me Recyclage.
Available in English, Hungarian, Lithuanian, Portuguese, Slovenian, German, Montenegrin, and Croatian.
This statement serves as a detailed rebuttal to Chemical Recycling Europe’s (CRE) position paper on Zero Waste Europe’s ‘Leaky Loop “Recycling’ report. The report assesses the viability of pyrolysis, while critically analysing and consolidating findings from twenty-two independent peer-reviewed empirical research papers on the quality of pyrolysis oil derived from plastic waste. This rebuttal challenges CRE’s criticisms, accusing them of lacking robust evidence and providing only rhetorical content in their position paper. The author of ‘Leaky Loop “Recycling’ calls for more substantial evidence from CRE to support their claims and highlights inconsistencies in CRE’s references, particularly in the context of life cycle assessments (LCAs) and operational performance data of pyrolysis processes.
Available in English.
In this report prepared by Eunomia Research & Consulting for ClientEarth, ECOS – Environmental Coalition on Standards, and Zero Waste Europe, we explore the current state of PET-based bottle recycling in Europe, as well as its potential for improvement, alongside analysis of common claims made to consumers on bottle labels relating to recycling. Such claims can give an impression of ‘plastic bottle circularity’ that does not reflect reality.
Available in English.
In 2022, Colombia took further steps to strengthen the implementation of its National Plan for Sustainable Single-Use Plastics Management. The country has set the goal of making all single-use plastics reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2030.
As part of our activities for the 2023 European Week of Waste Reduction, this factsheet analyses Colombia’s Law 2232 on the gradual reduction of the production and consumption of single-use plastic products. The new law bans 14 specific types of plastic products such as plastic bags and straws, as well as packaging containers used for the retail sale of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Available in English.
In February 2023, as part of the need to transpose the EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), the Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament) passed the Waste Act, Packaging Act and Tobacco Act Amendment Act. The law came into effect on 1 May 2023, with the exception of rules agreed in the SUPD that will apply later or require a transition period.
As part of our activities for the 2023 European Week of Waste Reduction, this factsheet lays out Estonia’s measures to implement the SUPD nationally – from binding actions for packaging companies to mandatory reuse items in public events.
Available in English.
India’s thriving street food sector, currently reliant on single-use plastics (SUP) for packaging, faces a pressing need for sustainable alternatives.
This report by Searious Business, the National Hawker Federation (NHF), and Zero Waste Europe delves into the economic feasibility of a novel reuse system tailored to Indian street food vendors.
While SUP has long been affordable and accessible, it poses substantial environmental challenges, particularly concerning petrochemical production and post-use disposal. The report conducts a robust cost-benefit analysis to address these concerns, comparing the current SUP system with the proposed reuse system. The study’s key objectives encompass an extensive evaluation of the financial implications, costs structures, and potential benefits associated with both systems, emphasising a focus on commonly used street food packaging items – including plates, bowls, cups, and takeaway containers.
Available in English
Levels of packaging waste in Europe are at an all-time high. Over the last decade, its growth outpaced the economy, rising faster than the volume of traded goods. In this regard, the EU Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) offers a necessary pathway to reverse the trend of an ever more material and carbon intensive packaging sector, while creating real economic opportunities for truly circular businesses.
The Rethink Plastic alliance, the European Environmental Bureau, and Zero Waste Europe created a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to help distinguishing packaging myths from packaging facts, and to help push for reuse targets.
Available in English.
This report examines the widely promoted pyrolysis method in plastic waste management, shedding light on its inherent limitations. Pyrolysis has been hailed as a solution by industry, but this study reveals significant drawbacks. Incompatibility with different plastic types, low oil yield, and contamination issues mean that the resulting pyrolysis oil must be heavily diluted with petroleum-based mixtures, in some cases at a ratio of over 40:1. To be used in recycled plastic production, the oil requires energy-intensive purification steps or substantial dilution with virgin petroleum naphtha, both of which are not aligned with the objectives of the EU Green Deal.
Available in English.
A new report by the Rethink Plastic alliance, the European Environmental Bureau, Zero Waste Europe, Fern, and the Environmental Paper Network reveals the environmental harm caused by replacing single-use plastic with single-use paper packaging. The report clearly shows the need to move away from ever-polluting single-use packaging and towards well-designed reuse systems. The NGO coalition calls on the EU to seize the opportunity the Packaging and Packaging Waste regulation offers, and implement the necessary changes.
Available in English.
Zero Waste Europe has been working on policies and measures targeting plastic pollution since the early 2000s, has done extensive research, movement building, and policy advocacy, and has implemented zero waste solutions since then.
This document contains our submission to the third Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-3) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution.
Available in English.
