Zero Waste Europe

Introduction

ZWE has unique and strong expertise in developing work on waste and climate change. It works with other international partners to address these policy shortfalls and change them into opportunities, particularly in the context of emissions reductions policies and subsidies.

2024 Work Plan Overview

The 2024 work plan foresees five distinct work packages, all centered around advancing organizational development, as follows:

WP1: Organizational Development

This initial package lays out our strategic framework for providing the essential support and infrastructure required to effectively implement the subsequent work packages.

WP2: Waste Prevention and Consumption Reduction (including through reuse)

WP2 is dedicated to crafting policies that aim to prevent the generation of waste by bolstering the durability, repairability, and reusability of products and packaging. This package specifically targets textile and food waste prevention and reuse policies (WFD and PPWR).

WP3: Clean and Effective Material Cycles

The third package concentrates on policies geared towards designing safe products and packaging that can be seamlessly integrated into circular material cycles. This includes regulations related to:

• Food contact materials (FCM)
• Plastic recycling
• Toxic-free product design

All aligned with the principles of circularity and waste hierarchy.

WP4: Optimized Waste Collection and Treatment

WP4 encompasses all aspects of waste collection and management, in line with the Waste Framework Directive (WFD). It includes economic incentives such as:

• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
• Deposit Return Systems (DRS)

Additionally, it involves monitoring the adoption of reuse models.

WP5: Sustainable Residual Waste Management

The final package, WP5, is dedicated to formulating policies for managing mixed waste sustainably. This includes adherence to waste disposal legislation like:

• Waste Framework Directive (WFD)
• Landfill Directive
• PPWR

It also considers claims associated with green practices. The emphasis is on ensuring safe and efficient waste treatment and avoiding overcapacity in disposal infrastructure, in alignment with future product and waste policy commitments.