Right now, 17 EU MS have DRS up and running, with four currently in the limbo state between adoption and implementation. But 𝘸𝘩𝘰 were actually the last five countries to launch DRS? We put our members' knowledge to the test at our NWG in May. Let us know in the comments which ones you got correct!

It’s hot, you’re sweating. You go to your fridge for a slice of watermelon 💦🍉 The watermelon is… definitely past its prime. You throw the rest of it into the bin. Food waste is super common in Europe, with over 58M tonnes generated annually. But how we deal with it across the EU varies widely.

Beneath the noise, a quieter momentum is building across Europe 🌊 Our 2025 Annual Report celebrates ambitious action & community-led change. As Esra Tat notes in the foreword, zero waste is now a practical, political, & cultural movement shaping our cities, businesses, and policies. zurl.co/Lhmxy

20 years after he started his journey in zero waste solutions, Joan Marc Simon bid hasta luego to ZWE this summer. As part of his farewell, he passed us an inspiring vision for what the future of Europe could look like – if we dare pursue it. Imagine a zero waste Europe: zurl.co/NN0AI

In a burning world, it is easy to default to nihilism: we've already lost the race, so why bother trying 🤷 Indeed, the climate crisis cannot be solved individually. But like @nannacornelsen.bsky.social says, when enough people come together, our decision-makers have to take notice. 🔗 zurl.co/cG197

🔄 Safety is reuse's next competitive advantage. Single-use packaging carries well-documented health risks; reuse cuts that risk. Our new guidelines show how packaging stays safe, from materials to cleaning. Join our webinar on 24 Sept, 14:00 CEST with EU experts. ✍️ Register now: zurl.co/5GsDJ

🗳️ In 2022, skilled civil society leaders were pushed out of France's political process. That's why Démocratiser la Politique exists. 🎥 Taoufik Vallipuram & Esra Tat on building inclusive politics. Watch the full conversation: zurl.co/50M1Q #MovementBuilding #GrassrootsChange #PeoplePower

Will textile EPR actually drive systemic change, or just finance waste management? 👗 At a recent event in Ljubljana hosted by EBM and ZWE, experts and participants from 25 countries tackled the future of European fashion. Read the key takeaways from Jaka Kranjc: zerowasteeurope.eu/2026/07/star...

🗑️ EU waste hasn't dropped in a decade, recycling alone can't fix that. Sufficiency asks: how much do we really need to produce? With circularity stuck at 11.8% vs a 24% target, prevention is essential. Read more 👉 zurl.co/cLPWB #EWWR2026

"Reuse works in take-away, we've proven that. Scaling it's the challenge." Elise Lippens (Enviu) on where reuse stands today, and what's next. 📘Check the Blueprint for reusable takeaway packaging in Europe: zurl.co/FnXMW #Reuse #CircularEconomy

🔄 Are you a business in the reuse or refill sector? Your input is needed! Help build a reliable picture of the industry across Europe by completing the European Reuse Barometer 2026 survey, it only takes a few minutes! 📝 Complete by Friday, 3 July: zurl.co/iXdmm #ReuseBarometer #CircularEconomy

Who shapes our digital future? 🌐 Laurence Meyer of Weaving Liberation joins Esra Tat to explore 3+ years of building collective, decolonial digital rights work across Europe - rooted in trust, unlearning and joy. 🔗 Watch the full conversation: zurl.co/nkH5m

ZWE will join three #LCAW2026 events: 🥤 23 June at Somerset House: 'Durable Plastics Coalition - research preview meeting' (14.30) & 'The next decade for durable plastics' (16.30). 🌫️ 25 June at The Bridge: 'Black Carbon in the Super Pollutants Movement' (12.00). See you in London! 🇬🇧

It's London Climate Action Week, and you can bet we will be there to harness the momentum for climate action! ⚡ Organised between the annual climate COPs, #LCAW2026 brings more than 75K people together across 1000+ events – all with the goal of connecting global ambition with local action ⚽🥅

The report contains practical recommendations on how European countries can set up the best system based on their national needs, including how to: 👢 Define product scope and stakeholder responsibilities 🪡 Ensure the system is aligned with the circular economy (⬇️ rest of our recs in the next slide)

Today, we’re releasing our new guide for EU member states drafting their national legislation for the textiles EPR. In less than two years, EPR for textile products will become mandatory across the Union, giving member states a short window to design and develop their schemes. 🔗 zurl.co/IV2a2

📊 Reuse or refill industry? We need your voice to map the state of reuse and refill across Europe, the European Reuse Barometer 2026 is live! 👉 Fill in the survey: zurl.co/E5Kfz 🔄 Share with your network! ⏳ Deadline: 3 July #Reuse #Refill #CircularEconomy #Packaging #Sustainability #EuropeanUnion

🥤 Eliminating single-use plastic from public events? In 2023, Métropole de Lyon added one rule to their catering contracts: no disposables, reusables only, across 58 municipalities & 1.4M people. 4 years on, suppliers have permanently changed and the model is spreading. Case study: zurl.co/LRqNB

📢 Calling all the network weavers: we're looking for a Network Development Officer to join the ZWE Team! 🫂 Read the full description and apply by 26 June 2026 on the Zero Waste Europe website: zerowasteeurope.eu/join-us/work...

Neuigkeiten aus Deutschland! The Höxter district is on its way to becoming a Zero Waste Certified Region with repair cafés, a new Advisory Board, and a certification audit planned for 2026! 📖 Read more in the latest VKS News 👇 🔗 zurl.co/wglsq Copyright: VKS-News 305 Zero Waste (05/2026) by VKU e.V.

The results? 🤑 Over a 5-year period, decentralised composting yields a net economic benefit of 193,595 €, a significant saving compared to 2.4M € in costs under the status quo. Even in a scenario with lower participation, costs are still lower than under the current model. 📖 zurl.co/5sLrs [3/3] 🧵

In 2025, they set up 100 community composting sites in the outer ring, with plans to build another 300 by the end of 2026! However, as any city official knows, the budget needs to work as well. With the help of Lumec, Bordeaux decided to compare the economics of the two scenarios. [2/3] 🧵

In @bordeauxmetropole.bsky.social, an estimated 174,000 t of food waste are sent for incineration every year – that’s ⅓ of all waste in the residual stream 😱 In an effort to avoid this resource loss, the Metropole has been working to divert food waste away from disposal. [1/3] 🧵

For 22 years, @ukwin.bsky.social has made sure no community had to face an incinerator alone. 🔥🚫 We sat down with Shlomo Dowen (UKWIN coordinator) to trace how isolated local groups grew into a connected movement pushing back against incineration across the UK 🔗 Watch full interview: zurl.co/floJm

Welcome to our 2 newest associated members! Marche a Rifiuti Zero: an Italian non-profit promoting #zerowaste through prevention, reuse and community action Zero Waste Lab: a Portuguese non-profit making zero waste work in practice, for authorities, businesses and communities 🔗 zurl.co/FMWxI

Well, you guessed it. Across Europe, bottom ash is turned into a construction aggregate, used for road paving and in cement and concrete blocks. Over time, these substances leach out into the environment, all done to avoid the high disposal costs of safe landfilling. Learn more: zurl.co/C34Dr

There’s always something left behind when incinerators burn waste – ash, bits of ceramic, microplastics, metals, as well as a plethora of PFAS and POPs, many of them toxic to our health. What could one possibly do with such a hazardous mixture? Surely not allow it to enter the environment? 😬⚠️

60+ zero waste advocates from across Europe gathered in Slovenia for days of connection, learning, and shared purpose. From textile waste to environmental justice, field visits to global perspectives from GAIA Asia Pacific. Read more 👉 zurl.co/GHdct #ZWEgathers

Have you ever travelled abroad and found yourself standing confused by the kitchen bin? While separate collection of food waste is mandatory across the EU, the rules aren’t harmonised at all 🍌 We explore the ins and outs of our food waste in the 2nd episode of Within boundaries: zurl.co/DM79v

Within the zero waste movement, there's a sentiment* that you come for the cause and stay for the people. For Stephanie Yates, it was more like coming for the people and staying for the cause (and people) 💚 (*Attributed to our Director, Esra Tat 🕊️)