Reuse
Reusable vs Single-Use Packaging: A Review of Environmental Impacts
Political and public interest in the potential of reusable packaging to improve how we manage our resources is growing steadily around the world. Life cycle analysis (LCA) is often used to measure what positive or negative impact this packaging would have, both economically and environmentally. Our study, undertaken by the University of Utrecht, analyses the…
Read MoreIn Our Opinion: Stay the course toward reusable packaging
Health authorities say reusable packaging poses no more risk of spreading coronavirus than single-use packaging, but the plastics industry is still trying to use COVID-19 to derail progress on reducing single-use plastics. In this article, Samantha Millette and Clarissa Morawski look at the impact that the coronavirus pandemic has had on reusable packaging systems, and…
Read MoreJoint Policy Paper on Reusable Packaging & COVID-19
On June 4th, Zero Waste Europe and Reloop released a joint policy paper to address the situation of reusable packaging and refillable systems in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. While industry uses this current health crisis to continue pushing for single-use products and packaging, there is no evidence that disposable packaging contributes to the spread…
Read MoreNew Study Looks at Impacts of Single-Use Menstrual Products, Baby Nappies & Wet Wipes in Europe
A new report by ReZero, Zero Waste Europe, Reloop and Break Free From Plastic details the environmental and economic impacts of single-use menstrual products, baby nappies, and wet wipes across the EU-28. Some of the study’s key findings include: CO2 emissions: It has been estimated that, throughout their lifecycle, single-use baby nappies and menstrual products…
Read More7th European REUSE Conference
Brussels • September 2019 On September 24th, Reloop – in association with the European Association of Beverage Wholesalers (CEGROBB), the Environmental Action Germany (Deutsche Umwelthifle e.V.), and the Association of Small and Independent Breweries in Europe (S.I.B.) – hosted the 7th European REUSE Conference. The aim of the conference was to examine how reuse systems…
Read MoreAre refillable beer bottles again possible in Australia?
As in other countries, when single-use drink containers such as aluminum cans and plastic bottles became common in Australia in the 1970s, refillable containers and the systems developed to recover and refill them went by the wayside. The environment bore the brunt of this change, with beverage container litter in states, aside from South Australia,…
Read MoreDrink up! Beverage container recycling update
The ninth edition of CM Consulting’s Who Pays What report was released in October 2018. Produced since 2002, the report provides a comprehensive overview of container recovery programs in each province, including the latest data on performance and costs. The report also delves into the economic and environmental benefits of beverage container reuse and recycling, processes, end-markets,…
Read MoreDispatches from Europe: Packaging reuse in the spotlight
Last year, Collins Dictionary named “single-use” its word of the year, and it’s not difficult to understand why. Efforts to reduce marine litter and eliminate plastic waste were some of the key themes of 2018. And in fact the European Union Parliament and Council ended the year with a provisional agreement to phase out problematic…
Read MorePlastic-Free Periods: Menstrual Products & Plastic Pollution
by Samantha Millette & Clarissa Morawski If you’ve followed environmental news in the last year or so, then you know that the negative impact of single-use plastics has become a hot topic. From bans and taxes on plastic bags and takeaway coffee cups to policies on reduced plastics packaging, a growing number of countries, as…
Read MoreNew study presents plan for Circular Economy using existing economic measures
PRESS RELEASE: New study presents plan for Circular Economy using existing economic measures Brussels, 12/07/2017 – A new study released today by the Reloop Platform and Zero Waste Europe, and produced by Rezero, demonstrates that existing economic instruments can bring Europe to the next stage of the Circular Economy. The study examines existing measures and…
Read More