Zero waste heroes

The European businesses making reuse a reality

If ambitious, the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) will reduce the recent explosion in packaging. There is a risk, however, that instead of focussing on ambitious reductions, the Regulation will simply call for throwaway plastic to be replaced by throwaway paper. Today, half of all paper production goes to packaging. Increased demand for paper-based packaging has ominous implications for forests.  

The replacement of single-use with reuse is a promising alternative. In reuse systems, packaging is collected, reconditioned and reused tens to hundreds of times. By scaling up reuse systems, ambitious reuse targets in the PPWR will curb demands for paper, and reduce pressure on forests.  

This report shares the voices to those at the cutting edge of reuse, those who are paving the way to waste-free cities, like the Brussel-based company which helps food businesses switch to reuse, the Zero Waste Café and the delivery initiative boasting reusable boxes are trailblazers.  

They are actively helping us escape the Waste Economy. 

Yet they cannot do this alone. Setting clear legislative objectives for reuse on large businesses will lead to financial stability, investment and innovation. This will lower the planetary costs of packaging.  

As the single-use packaging industry – and the large companies which benefit from it – try to water down the PPWR, it is imperative that we look to these concrete working initiatives to make reuse a reality. 

Categorias: Reports, Paper packaging