European week for waste reduction about to start
"Why buy when you can share?" is the slogan of the European waste reduction week starting today in the EU and some other participating countries. The slogan clearly spells out a major principle of German and European waste legislation. Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary at the Environment Ministry made the following comment: "Waste avoidance saves resources. The scarcity of our resources will become increasingly pronounced in the future while the global population will continue to grow. We need intelligent solutions to solve this problem. On the one hand we must use raw materials and other production materials more efficiently and on the other hand we must avoid producing waste." The Federal Environment Ministry is using the European week for waste reduction to support projects, which contribute to reducing food and packaging waste and boost the use of products for longer periods.
The Federal Environment Ministry is currently engaged in an intensive dialogue with associations, industry and authorities to bring forward further waste reduction measures. The aim is to reduce the volume of food waste and increase the life span of products that are used on a daily basis.
Germany is participating for the sixth time in the European week for waste reduction. More than 330 citizen-centred activities are planned for this year. Special activities have been organised for schools and day care centres. Projects range from exhibitions and plays to repair cafes and swap markets. The activities give an indication of the importance of the topic and showcase practical solutions for a longer and more expansive use of products. In Germany the Association of Municipal Enterprises (Verband kommunaler Unternehmen, VKU) is coordinating the activities with the Support of the German Federal Environmental Foundation (Deutschen Bundesstiftung Umwelt, DBU).