We envision

A future free from plastic pollution

Where we produce less, repair more, and reuse everything we can.

Packaging is returned and refilled, and products are built to last. This is the reuse economy, and it’s growing fast.

Europe’s overproduction problem:
why waste keeps growing

Plastic has enabled record levels of production and consumption. From fast fashion and single-use plastics, to throwaway electronics. Products are made to be discarded, driving pollution at every stage of their life cycle.

Europe’s waste footprint:

Packaging waste:

79.7

million tonnes

In 2023, Europe generated 79.7 million tonnes of packaging waste (177.8 kg per person). 19.8% of this was plastic.

E-waste:

14.4

million tonnes

Over 14.4 million tonnes of electronics were sold on the EU market in 2023. An 89% increase since 2012, with only a small fraction collected for recycling.

Textile waste:

12.6

million tonnes

Around 12.6 million tonnes of clothing and fabrics are discarded every year, most never reused or recycled.

We can’t recycle our way out of this crisis. To end plastic pollution, we must reduce production and shift to a reuse economy.

Reuse is here to stay

The reuse economy, a system in which products and packaging are conceived, designed and placed on the market to accomplish multiple trips or rotations within their life spans, is growing. That means we can keep materials and packaging in circulation and:

Save resources
Produce less waste
Lower carbon emissions
Save money on waste management
and so much more.

New to the reuse economy, or already an advocate for change?

LEARN MORE

Three powerful principles can help us reach this goal:

Reduce

Make less, use less, waste less.

Reuse

We need to design for reuse, not disposal.

Repair

Reignite a culture of repair.

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We envision

A future free from plastic pollution