A coalition of European civil society organisations call on the European Commission not to recognise incineration residues, particularly incinerator bottom ash (IBA), as circular materials due to their hazardous contents. The 44 signatories highlight the potential dangers of these materials, which could have adverse effects on both human health and the environment.
They therefore strongly discourage the use of incineration residues in construction and civil engineering, and urge the European Commission to ensure the Circular Economy Act (CEA) is non-toxic by design.
Available in English.
European and French civil society organisations call on the European Commission to let the French draft fast fashion law pass. The 66 signatories highlight that the French law is the first of it’s kind to counter the most harmful commercial practices seen in the fashion sector today.
The law would give Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textiles more power to penalise fast fashion practices through the ‘eco-modulation of EPR fees’ – waste management fees that producers already pay in France. This could disincentivise particularly wasteful business models and curb overproduction and consumption in the sector.
Available in English.
A coalition of 34 organisations and businesses and 40 European cities and companies have joined forces to call on the European Commission to unlock the untapped potential of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) as a driver of prevention, reuse and repair in the EU. Together, these two initiatives merge in a unified demand for bold reform of EPR under the upcoming Circular Economy Act (CEA).
Available in English.
156 civil society organisations have issued a joint letter to President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Commissioners, and national ministers calling for an immediate moratorium on approving and building new waste incineration facilities across the European Union (EU).
Led by the Zero Waste Europe network, this coalition is calling for:
– An EU-wide moratorium on new waste incinerators (R1 and D10);
– Phase-down strategies for existing incineration capacity;
– Increased investment in circular economy infrastructure, such as reuse systems, composting, and recycling technologies.
The letter was sent as part of today’s wider Day of Action Against Incineration of the ‘’Better than Burning’’ campaign, which includes a Manifesto and social media testimonials on the harmful impact of waste incineration in their countries.
Available in English and Hungarian.
Zero Waste Europe and 20+ organisations have signed a joint letter urging the European Commission to include waste incinerators and landfills in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) by 2028. These major sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions must no longer be exempt from carbon pricing if the EU is serious about climate and circular economy goals.
Available in English.
Together with the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), Client Earth, and nine more civil society organisations, Zero Waste Europe wrote to European Commissioners Stéphane Séjourné and Jessika Roswall about restricting the use of PVC and its additives under the REACH regulation.
Available in English.
Together with EuRIC and six other organisations, Zero Waste Europe wrote to the Members of the European Parliament expressing concerns about the recent postponement of the European Parliament’s plenary vote on the revised Waste Framework Directive (WFD).
Now scheduled for October 2025, this four-month delay is a big setback for establishing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes for textiles, which are urgently needed to tackle Europe’s growing textile waste crisis.
Available in English.
Zero Waste Europe together with DUH, EEB, ECOS supports strong EU rules to ensure real recycled content in batteries based on physical traceability, ensuring transparency and traceability. All batteries sold in the EU should meet the same standards, and claims about recycled content must reflect what is truly in the product.
Zero Waste Europe, alongside DUH, EEB, and ECOS, welcomes the Joint Research Center’s efforts to develop a robust methodology for calculating and verifying the share of recycled cobalt, lithium, nickel, and lead in the batteries Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542)
Increasing the use of recycled material in battery helps reducing the need for additional primary extraction. For recycled content targets to deliver meaningfully, the definition and implementation should be transparent and reliable.
The signatories of this open letter to the European Commission wish to stress that civil society engagement is not only essential for Europe’s future, strong public participation and the resilience of European democracy, but is also a legal requirement under the Treaties and the Aarhus Convention. Furthermore, it supports the EU’s commitments made collectively by the European Commission, European Parliament and the Council to living well within planetary boundaries and strengthens the European Project.
Available in English.
In this open letter issued to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Zero Waste Europe and 50+ organisations call for immediate revision of the Food Contact Materials (FCM) Regulation.
The letter highlights critical health risks from harmful chemicals in food packaging, including over 70 carcinogens and endocrine disruptors, and demands a comprehensive update to EU regulations within the current legislative term.
With an estimated €157 billion annual cost from chemical exposure and rising health concerns, the organisations urge for robust safety standards that protect consumers, particularly vulnerable populations like children and pregnant women.
Available in English.
In this open letter to Members of the European Parliament ahead of the hearings of EU Commissioner-designate candidates, a group of NGOs, EU organisations, and sustainable businesses calls out for stronger circular economy policies in Europe.
With the EU’s Circular Material Use Rate showing minimal improvement over the past decade, the letter asks for rigorous questioning of EU Commissioner-designate candidates on twelve critical areas, including binding resource reduction targets, improved Extended Producer Responsibility frameworks, a healthy circular economy, and circular taxation systems.
Available in English.
The Prevent Waste Coalition, composed of leading environmental and food advocacy organisations, is calling on the Presidency of the Council of the European Union to implement more ambitious food waste reduction targets in the revised Waste Framework Directive (WFD).
Key findings from our research include the capability of food businesses to meet a 50% reduction target by 2030 and a substantial positive return on investment in waste reduction efforts, with a cost-benefit ratio of 14:1. We urge policymakers to recognise the economic and environmental imperatives for setting higher targets, emphasizing that ambitious, legally-binding goals will drive innovation and efficiency across the food supply chain. The current proposed targets are insufficient, and we advocate for higher standards to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for all Europeans.
Available in English.
This open letter addresses the misclassification of waste incineration’s heat output as ‘waste heat’ within the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) framework in the EU. It highlights the negative environmental impacts of waste incineration, including greenhouse gas emissions and disincentivizing waste prevention and recycling efforts. We advocate for the exclusion of waste incineration from ‘waste heat’ targets, emphasising the importance of prioritising genuine renewable energy sources like heat pumps and solar thermal for district heating. It urges policymakers to prioritise waste prevention, recycling targets, and investment in innovative clean energy technologies to achieve a truly sustainable energy future.
Zero Waste Europe joined over 100 organisations in an open letter calling for EU legislation on Sustainable Resource Management. Signed by various NGOs, academics, think tanks, trade unions, and industries, this letter advocates that legislation on Sustainable Resource Management is crucial to address the challenges of global crises, and to ensure that the EU economy operates within planetary boundaries.
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.
The Methane Matter Coalition, a coalition of non-profit organisations working on methane mitigation, has submitted a collective letter to the European Commission regarding the recently announced 2040 climate target. Enclosed within this letter are our recommendations aimed at significantly reducing methane emissions across various sectors within the EU, namely agriculture, waste management, and energy. These recommendations address key priority areas aligned with the 10 building blocks outlined in the 2040 proposal, emphasizing the importance of effective methane reduction strategies.
