Repair & ReuseLeipzigAdvocate for a local repair bonusRepair before replace: with public support From May 2022, Stadtreinigung Leipzig and SMEKUL (Saxony’s environment ministry) ran a pilot Leipziger Reparaturbonus: residents received support to choose repair over new purchase. Evaluation: 682 products repaired; about 40% of participants said the bonus motivated them to repair. What you can do elsewhere - Map repair cafés and trusted craftspeople in your city. - Ask local government for voucher schemes like Saxony's follow-up statewide repair bonus. - Share success stories so repair stays visible in policy debates. Why it matters Small public subsidies tip the balance toward repair, the Leipzig pilot showed vouchers can motivate real fixes.repairpolicyadvocacy
LearnCommunityBogotaBack zero waste policy with civil society in BogotaPolitical will plus neighbourhood action Bogotá appears among Latin American districts with zero waste commitments where political will and civil-society partners work together, a regional pattern GAIA members support through environmental education, source segregation, and policy reform. What you can do - Join a local environmental group pushing for source separation and recycler inclusion in your locality. - Request zero-waste training for your school or neighbourhood council through GAIA-linked partners in Colombia. Why it matters Municipal zero waste succeeds when residents and recyclers co-design systems, not when waste is privatised into landfills or incineration.policyeducationsegregation
Repair & ReuseViennaAustria: legal mandate for reusable containers at public eventsThree Austrian states where single-use is no longer legal at events In Salzburg, Upper Austria (Oberösterreich), and Vienna, there are legally binding requirements for reusable food and beverage containers at public events: Salzburg above 600 visitors, Upper Austria above 300, and Vienna above 1,000. Zero Waste Austria supports municipalities and event organisers in meeting these requirements and advocates for the obligation to be expanded to additional states. What the mandate covers - Reusable cups, plates, and food containers must be used for on-site catering at events above the threshold - Single-use alternatives must be replaced or offset by a reuse system - Zero Waste Austria provides guidance on compliant reuse systems and supplier contacts - The trend toward reusable cups is growing even in states without a legal obligation How to engage - Event organisers in Salzburg, Upper Austria, and Vienna: ensure your event catering uses a reusable system above the visitor threshold: contact Zero Waste Austria for a list of system providers - Event organisers in other Austrian states: adopt reuse voluntarily as the trend grows: the legal obligation in three states is making reuse the expected standard nationally - Advocates: push your state government to adopt a similar mandate: the three-state model provides a template Why it matters Legal mandates create level playing fields: no event organiser is disadvantaged for going reusable when everyone is required to. Austria's three-state approach is building the market for reuse infrastructure at scale.reuseeventspolicy +2
CommunityViennaGraz "(Zero) Waste in the City?": civic dialogue between activism and urban agendaA panel that brought zero waste into the policy conversation In September 2024, Zero Waste Austria participated in a panel discussion in Graz: "(Zero) Waste in the City? Between Activism and Urban Agenda", organised by the Waste in Motion (WiM) research network. The panel brought together experts from WiM, representatives of the City of Graz, Zero Waste Austria, and Katja Sres from Ekologi Brez Meja (Slovenia): one of the strongest Zero Waste Europe member organisations. The format is designed to be replicable in other Austrian cities. What the panel discussion format provides - A structured dialogue between zero waste advocates, researchers, and city officials - Cross-border learning: Slovenia's experience via Ekologi Brez Meja adds an EU best-practice dimension - A public record that zero waste is a legitimate part of urban policy discourse in Graz - A template that other Austrian cities can use to host similar panels with city council involvement How to engage - Austrian municipalities and research institutions: contact Zero Waste Austria or the Waste in Motion research network to organise a similar panel in your city - Activists and civil society: use the Graz format as a model for connecting with local researchers and city officials: the research network provides academic legitimacy - Students and academics: engage with the Waste in Motion network and connect zero waste scholarship to local policy advocacy Why it matters Zero waste needs a seat at the urban policy table, not just protest outside it. The Graz panel brought advocates, researchers, and city officials into one room, a replicable format for turning activism into municipal agenda.advocacyeducationpolicy +2
CommunityBrusselsBrussels zero waste events action planMaking every public event in Brussels waste-free Zero Waste Belgium developed a comprehensive strategic action plan for zero waste events across Brussels: covering event logistics, supplier requirements, reuse system specifications, and transition guidance for organisers. The plan, built from extensive research and cross-city case studies, is designed for full implementation in 2025. What the plan covers - Reuse requirements for cups, plates, and food packaging at public events - Case studies from cities across Europe that have already mandated zero waste events - Legal framework summary so event organisers understand their obligations - Practical tools and templates for municipalities and venue managers How to engage - Event organisers in Brussels: contact Zero Waste Belgium for support implementing zero waste standards at your event - Municipalities: request a copy of the action plan to adapt it for your local authority - Residents: ask your borough council whether events in your neighbourhood already follow zero waste guidelines Why it matters Public events generate disproportionate single-use waste in short bursts. A city-wide action plan removes the ambiguity: every organiser knows what is expected, every supplier knows what to offer, and every resident can expect a consistent experience across Brussels' festivals, markets, and fairs.eventsreusepolicy +2
CommunityBrusselsStatiegeldalliantie: 730 cities for deposit return systemsA coalition of municipalities pushing for bottles that come back The Statiegeldalliantie (Deposit Return System Alliance) has grown to include approximately 730 cities and municipalities across Belgium and the Netherlands, all committed to supporting binding deposit return systems for beverage packaging. The alliance unites local governments, civil society organisations, and businesses in a shared advocacy coalition. What the Statiegeldalliantie does - Coordinates political pressure on national governments to mandate deposit return systems - Documents the environmental and economic case for bottle and can deposits - Connects municipalities with reuse solution providers ahead of future regulation - Celebrates member cities that already pilot local reuse and return schemes How to engage - Residents: ask your mayor or councillor whether your municipality has joined the Statiegeldalliantie - Businesses: return beverage containers via existing deposit points; advocate with your trade association for deposit return expansion - Municipalities not yet in the alliance: contact Fair Resource Foundation to join Why it matters 730 municipalities representing millions of residents signal to national parliaments that deposit return is a political priority: not just an environmental ask. When local governments coordinate at this scale, national legislation follows.deposit-returnpackagingpolicy +2
CommunitySvilengradSvilengrad: PAYT + RFID smart bin systemBulgaria's most advanced household waste charging system Svilengrad, in southeastern Bulgaria, pioneered a Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) system enhanced with RFID technology to identify, measure, and record the waste output of individual households. Each bin has an RFID chip; collection vehicles read it automatically, linking volume to the corresponding household fee. The system has been extended to rural villages around Svilengrad: a rarity in Bulgaria, where most PAYT pilots remain city-centre only. What makes Svilengrad's model distinctive - RFID identification eliminates the need for manual monitoring or trust-based self-reporting - Rural extension makes the system equitable across the whole municipality, not just the urban core - Za Zemiata works with Svilengrad as an ERIC project partner to document and communicate the model - Svilengrad received the EcoMunicipality 2024 award alongside Gabrovo, in partnership with the French Embassy programme How to engage - Bulgarian municipalities: contact Za Zemiata for the Svilengrad PAYT+RFID design brief and implementation support - Policy advocates: the EU infringement procedure against Bulgaria for delaying mandatory PAYT makes Svilengrad's working model highly topical: cite it in submissions to the Ministry of Environment - Residents in Svilengrad: check your municipality's bin collection calendar and confirm your RFID chip is registered correctly Why it matters Most PAYT systems rely on sticker-based or bag-based mechanisms that are easy to game. Svilengrad's RFID approach makes every bin sortable, reportable, and verifiable: making it one of the most credible waste-reduction tools available to Bulgarian municipalities ahead of the nationally mandated PAYT rollout.paytrfidwaste-reduction +2
CommunitySofiaEcoObshtina: Bulgaria's national zero waste municipality competitionThe competition that raised the stakes for Bulgarian local government The EcoObshtina (Eco Municipality) competition is Bulgaria's largest annual award for sustainable municipalities, organised in partnership with the French Embassy. Za Zemiata shapes its evaluation criteria to prioritise measurable waste reduction outcomes: ensuring the competition rewards genuinely impactful programmes over greenwashing. In 2024, both Svilengrad and Gabrovo received the EcoMunicipality award, boosting the visibility of zero waste solutions at the level of national ministries and the National Association of Municipalities. What EcoObshtina does for zero waste - Evaluation criteria designed by Za Zemiata to reward source separation rates, PAYT implementation, and community engagement over less measurable commitments - Award ceremonies provide media coverage that amplifies zero waste success stories nationally - Partnership with the French Embassy brings international credibility and comparative benchmarking - Winning municipalities become reference cases for other local authorities to study How to engage - Bulgarian municipalities: apply for the next EcoObshtina cycle: follow Za Zemiata for application deadlines and criteria - Community groups: nominate your municipality for EcoObshtina recognition and document the waste programmes it runs - Policy advocates: use the competition results to name and praise municipalities that are leading: and ask the Ministry why national policy has not yet caught up with local practice Why it matters National awards turn local zero waste wins into stories ministers and neighbouring mayors cannot ignore. When Svilengrad and Gabrovo took EcoMunicipality honours in 2024, they gave every Bulgarian council a visible benchmark, and a reason to aim higher than greenwashing.advocacyawardspolicy +2
CommunityNicosiaNicosia Plastic Prevention Plan: ERIC project on the islandCyprus's capital building a plastic prevention strategy Friends of the Earth Cyprus works with the Municipality of Nicosia to develop a Plastic Prevention Plan through the EU ERIC (Elevating Reuse In Cities) project: covering waste management at public events and establishing a broader city-wide resource strategy. Nicosia's plan is part of the same network that connects Lyon, Bordeaux, Nantes, and Skiathos, giving Cyprus direct access to European best practices in plastic reduction. What the Nicosia plan covers - Plastic prevention targets for events and public spaces in Nicosia - Review of public procurement to reduce single-use plastics in municipal services - Communication campaigns to engage residents and event organisers - Knowledge exchange with other ERIC cities in France, Greece, and beyond How to engage - Nicosia residents: follow Friends of the Earth Cyprus for announcements on public consultation phases of the Plastic Prevention Plan - Event organisers in Nicosia: contact FoE Cyprus to learn how the ERIC project's event standards apply to your event - Cyprus-wide: the Nicosia plan sets a precedent: ask your own municipal council whether it will develop a similar plan Why it matters Cyprus has no Zero Waste certified or candidate cities, and PAYT has been delayed. The Nicosia Plastic Prevention Plan shows that progress is possible through voluntary commitment and EU project infrastructure even when national policy is slow.plastic-freepreventionpolicy +2
Repair & ReuseNicosiaKourion / Ipsonas: municipal repair stations (LIFE Zero Waste Cyprus)A Zero Waste candidate city building places to repair, not replace Kourion Municipality (formerly Ipsonas, reformed under local government restructuring) is the only Zero Waste Candidate City in Cyprus: and part of its candidacy involves establishing municipal repair stations where residents can bring broken items to be fixed. The programme is part of the LIFE Zero Waste Cyprus project, coordinated by the Department of Environment, covering a range of waste reduction measures across the municipality. What the repair stations programme includes - Fixed repair points where trained volunteers or paid repair workers assess and fix household items - Links to the LIFE Zero Waste Cyprus programme infrastructure: hazardous waste collection points, tool libraries, and repair guides - Kourion's innovative approach to PAYT (a more digitally advanced system than other municipalities) runs alongside the repair infrastructure How to engage - Kourion/Ipsonas residents: find your nearest repair station and bring items that need fixing: contact the municipality for the current list of accepted items and opening times - Repair volunteers: contact Friends of the Earth Cyprus or the municipality to join the repair volunteer programme - Other Cypriot municipalities: follow the LIFE Zero Waste Cyprus project outcomes to understand how repair infrastructure can be integrated into a wider zero waste municipality plan Why it matters Cyprus's only Zero Waste Candidate City is proving that repair stations belong in municipal infrastructure, not just at volunteer pop-ups. Every item fixed at a council-run station is one fewer purchase and one less bin of residual waste.repairreusepolicy +2
CommunityLyonLyon Zero Plastic Prevention Plan (ERIC project)A metropolitan plastic plan built with citizens Lyon Métropole (1.4 million inhabitants) adopted a Zero Plastic Prevention Plan (PPP) in partnership with Zero Waste France through the EU ERIC (Elevating Reuse In Cities) project. The plan sets plastic reduction targets, defines public communication strategies to mobilise residents, and establishes zero-plastic public procurement charters for the metropolitan authority. What the plan covers - Plastic prevention targets for the Lyon metropolitan area - Communication campaigns to engage residents in reducing single-use plastic - Reuse systems for take-away and public-event contexts, trialled via CITEO funding - Zero-plastic procurement charters for city contracts and events - Knowledge exchange with Bordeaux and Nantes through the shared ERIC programme How to engage - Follow Zero Waste France for updates on the Lyon PPP implementation and citizen participation phases - Contact your arrondissement council to ask how the PPP affects local markets and events near you - Join public events coordinated through the European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR): Lyon hosted 120+ events in 2024 Why it matters Lyon's PPP is one of three flagship French cities in the ERIC project, alongside Bordeaux and Nantes. A working model at metropolitan scale creates the evidence base that other French agglomerations need to adopt similar plans: and demonstrates that plastic prevention at 1.4 million inhabitants is achievable.plastic-freepolicyprevention +2
CommunityNantesNantes zero waste strategy: citizen participationA city that invites residents into the plan Nantes Métropole is building its zero waste strategy from the ground up, running public campaigns that centre citizen participation rather than top-down implementation. In partnership with Zero Waste France through the ERIC project, the city designs each phase of its action plan to include community input: from awareness-raising to feedback on reuse infrastructure. What the programme involves - Public campaigns explaining zero waste goals and inviting resident feedback - Working with local schools, community groups, and neighbourhood councils to co-design waste-reduction actions - Participation in the European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR), coordinating local events and visibility - Knowledge transfer with Lyon and Bordeaux as sister ERIC cities How to engage - Follow Zero Waste France for announcements on public consultations and participation events in Nantes - Contact Nantes Métropole's sustainability office to join citizen working groups on the zero waste strategy - Participate in EWWR events in November when the city amplifies its campaign Why it matters A strategy built with citizens is a strategy communities defend. Nantes' participatory model proves that large metropolitan zero waste plans can be co-created: and that civic engagement improves both the quality and durability of the outcomes.engagementcitizenspolicy +2
