EPR Operational Tool
Reuse
A vital component of the circular economy, designed to keep products and packaging in circulation for as long as possible before they enter the waste stream.
Asset rather than waste
By treating and managing packaging as a producer asset rather than waste, reuse offers producers a practical pathway to meet obligations for circular packaging management while safeguarding access to critical materials in a global marketplace increasingly vulnerable to political and supply chain disruptions.
Reuse systems involve the repeated use of items, such as refillable bottles, returnable transport packaging, or durable containers, rather than single-use, disposable alternatives.
As a circular economy policy tool, reuse:
- Reduces waste and conserves resources: Extending the life of products and packaging prevents waste generation, conserves raw materials, and reduces environmental impacts.
- Supports circular economy goals: Reuse ranks higher than recycling in the waste hierarchy, making it a priority for sustainable materials management and climate action.
- Strengthens resource sovereignty: By keeping packaging in circulation, reuse reduces dependence on virgin materials and mitigates risks tied to resource scarcity and geopolitical instability.
The role of EPR in scaling reuse:
- Enables and accelerates reusable systems: EPR policies can require producers and/or Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) to invest in reuse infrastructure, allocate programme budgets to developing and maintaining reuse systems, and set ambitious, measurable targets for reuse market share, return rates, and reduction of single-use packaging.
- Drives system innovation and enables: Including reusable and refillable packaging within EPR frameworks allows for financial incentives, traceability, and infrastructure investment. Shared, interoperable systems, sometimes leveraging existing recycling infrastructure, make reuse more efficient and accessible.
- Aligns incentives with durability: EPR schemes can foster reuse by partially exempting reusable items from fees or reducing fees, supporting standardised pools of reusable packaging, and encouraging producers to design for durability and repeated use.
Ultimately, integrating reuse into EPR frameworks moves beyond end-of-life management toward resource management, ensuring packaging remains a valuable asset in a circular economy. This shift maximises environmental benefits, reduces carbon footprints, and builds resilience in material supply chains.
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Packaging Reuse: Maximising the Benefits
Our new position paper focuses on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) proposal and the central role of reuse within the draft text.
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Creating effective systems for reuse
Webinar going over reusables design, policy and everyday use for people.
Links to external reading
Article Packaging Europe. Citeo envisions reusable food packaging systems for French retailers in 2025.
What We Waste dashboard
Drawing data from 210 countries to examine trends in sales, collection and wastage of drinks containers.
Your guide to Extended Producer Responsibility.
EPR Operational Tool
Direct financial incentives to drive higher beverage container collection rates.
