AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, is working on the development of new foams made with poultry feathers for sustainable hydroponic crop systems within the framework of UNLOCK, an initiative funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

On 12 October, World Ecolabel Day, the European Commission released statistics showing that the EU Ecolabel – the official voluntary ecolabel of the European Union – is flourishing, with almost 90 000 certified goods and services in 25 different product groups available on the EU market.

On 29 September - the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization - the European Food Information Council (EUFIC) launched a one-month food waste campaign, together with a new quiz on Evaluate Your Food Waste Practices!

The quiz provides personalised tips encouraging people to take simple steps at home. It's intended to help identify what kind of information they need to reduce the amount of food they waste. Once people have a better understanding of how to reduce food waste, they'll feel empowered to act.

This series of webinars - each aimed at a specific target audience and hosted by Build Up - will highlight how different stakeholders could join forces to reskill and upskill the building sector workforce with circular skills by focusing on the main takeaways and outcomes of the project.

VAIVÉN 2023: Circular Economy Festival is a meeting and exchange space of the Circular Economy Coalition for Latin America and the Caribbean that seeks to promote and celebrate the development of the circular economy in the region.

The Transition Pathway for the Textiles Ecosystem was published on 6 June 2023. It is an EU initiative which seeks to build a greener, more circular and digital future for the textiles ecosystem and to make it more resilient and competitive. The pathway, the outcome of a co-creation process with stakeholders, is a comprehensive framework that identifies specific actions. 50 actions have been outlined within eight building blocks, with a timeframe for implementation and a clear picture of the key actors involved. This is a call for commitments.

The European Commission has launched three calls for input: on eco-design requirements and labelling of electronic displays, on the WEEE Directive and on the new end-of-life vehicle rules.

Do you feel strongly about any of these issues? Then tell the Commission!

Sitra, the organiser of the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2024, is opening a call for the leading European companies working on circular solutions for nature. Is your company involved in fighting against biodiversity loss using circular economy principles?

WCEF is compiling a list of companies to be featured at next year’s WCEF. Apply by 30 September to be included in the new list!

The BioICEP project aims to develop sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional petroleum-based plastics.

The project has used an innovative cascade process by applying and combining chemical and biological methods to turn fossil-based plastic waste into natural, biodegradable substitutes to be used in the packaging and pharma industries.
 

Selling or buying reconditioned items? Learn what the process involves in France!

To be recognised as reconditioned in France, an item has to follow a series of compulsory steps.

Sellers must be fully transparent about the source(s) of the product they are selling, reconditioning must take place on the premises where the product is sold or very close by. The product warranty must  be extended to two years. Reconditioners should preferably use green transport and must be aware of their Extended Producer Responsibility and provide recycling bins for batteries, electrical appliances, etc. The original packaging should be preferably be used for packing the reconditioned goods.

These are just some of the rules that must be abided by in order to sell reconditioned items in France.