Preventing Waste: recycling isn't enough for a circular economy

March 2015
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Friends of the Earth Europe has released a new report with the objective to prevent waste of natural resources.

The report argues that EU policy needs to take the 'waste hierarchy' into account when writing new policies. This means designing polices that first prevent waste, then prepare products for reuse and repairs – leaving recycling, recovery of materials, and finally landfill, as last resorts.

This briefing documents a series of community-led projects that are helping Europe to reduce its resource use and waste, and makes policy recommendations that would enable these best-practices to become the norm. The case studies show that it is often local, under-resourced communities, guided by principles of sustainability, that are at the forefront of improving resource use and waste prevention.

 

Friends of the Earth Infographic