We have the opportunity to reform EU legislation on chemicals in food packaging to make it safe and reusable. Our latest policy briefing outlines recommendations to ensure a toxic-free circular economy.
Available in English
Publications type: Reports
Unwanted toxic flame retardants preventing circularity and increasing fire toxicity
The Flame Retardant Free Furniture Alliance presents its latest position paper on unwanted toxic flame retardants preventing circularity and fire toxicity in light of the New Circular Economy Action Plan.
Available in English
Existing measures & policy recommendations to minimise the impact of menstrual products, nappies & wet wipes
Report by ReZero and Zero Waste Europe. The report is a follow-up to our previous report on the environmental and economic impacts of single-use menstrual products, nappies and wet wipes and looks at existing measures and future policy recommendations to minimise their impact.
Available in English.
The environmental & economic costs of single-use menstrual products, baby nappies & wet wipes
Report by ReZero, Zero Waste Europe, ReLoop and Break Free From Plastic. The report details the environmental and economic impacts of single-use menstrual products, baby nappies, and wet wipes across the EU-28.
Available in English & French.
Smoke and mirrors: exposing the reality of carpet ‘recycling’ in the UK
Report based on research by Eunomia Consulting, UKWIN and the Changing Markets Foundation. Looking to expose the reality of carpet ‘recycling’ in the UK and beyond.
Available in English.
Reusable Solutions: how governments can help stop single-use plastic production
Rethink Plastic alliance report detailing reusable solutions to help governments put a stop to single-use plastic pollution.
Available in English
Residual waste capacity assessment
Our latest report assesses the residual waste treatment capacity of fourteen countries at risk of missing the 2020 targets for reuse and recycling, and includes recommendations to develop their waste management system in line with a circular economy.
Available in English
Research study on holistic indicators for waste prevention
The new study identifies how to best measure waste prevention and what are the most useful policies to minimise waste generation.
Available in English
Changing trends in plastic waste trade: Plastic Waste shipments report
As plastic waste has grown so has the industry surrounding it. A large amount of plastic waste is exported to countries in the Global South. Our report looks at the issues arising from the global waste trade.
Available in: English
The price is right… or is it? The case for taxing plastics
An ambitious set of taxes designed to influence both producer and consumer behaviour can help Europe curb plastic pollution by encouraging both plastic reduction and greater recycling. ZWE & the Rethink Plastic alliance make the case for taxing plastics.
Available in English.
Unwrapped: how throwaway plastic is failing to solve Europe’s food waste problem (and what we need to do instead)
Food waste and plastic waste are two major economic, environmental and social challenges facing Europe. The report shows how a rise in plastic food packaging is failing to reduce Europe’s growing food waste problem, and in some cases may even be fueling it.
Available in: English.
EPR in the EU Plastics Strategy and the Circular Economy: A focus on plastic packaging
Published by IEEP, with the support of the MAVA Foundation, Zero Waste Europe and EEB, this reports highlights policy options aimed at enhancing the ambition of extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes for plastic packaging.
Available in English
Rethinking Economic Incentives for Separate Collection
A study produced by Rezero for Zero Waste Europe & Reloop Platform looking at how the circular economy can be taken to the next level through the extended use of existing economic measures.
Available in: English
Separate Collection: The path to composting
A report produced by Amigos de la Tierra (Friends of the Earth Spain) and translated by Zero Waste Europe examining various separate collection methods and the impact and effectiveness of these approaches.
Joint position paper Bioplastics in a Circular Economy: The need to focus on waste reduction and prevention to avoid false solutions
A joint position paper with a number of European NGO’s exploring ‘false solutions’ to waste reduction and the role that bioplastics play. The report emphasises the need to focus on waste prevention over technological fixes.
Available in: English
Air Pollution from Waste Disposal: Not for Public Breath
This report looks at the many problems, legal, environmental and epidemiological that waste incineration plants across Europe are facing.
The Potential Contribution of Waste Management to a Low Carbon Economy
A report into the potential that waste management poses for the transition to a low carbon economy. This report commissioned by Zero Waste Europe, in partnership with Zero Waste France and ACR+ and conducted by Eunomia, highlights key problems with the current UNFCCC waste inventories, as well as providing recommendations for their improvement.
Redesigning Producer Responsibility: A new EPR is needed for a circular economy
A new study commissioned by Zero Waste Europe finding majority of product waste is not covered by current Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes and calling for redesign in order to move towards a circular economy. This download contains the full report.