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Validation criteria

Each action proposed must be validated so that it can be recognised as officially taking part in the European Week for Waste Reduction. Validation will be achieved on the basis of the following validation criteria.

The project must be an innovative, relevant or developmental awareness-raising action that will take place during the European Week for Waste Reduction.

Nature of the Project Developer

The Project Developer must belong to one of the following categories:

  • Administration/public authority
  • Association/NGO
  • Business/industry
  • Educational establishment (school, community centre, etc).
  • Other (e.g. hospital, cultural institution, retirement home)

Dates of the Action

The action must take place exclusively during the EWWR: between 16th to 24th November 2013 inclusive. However, the action may also showcase (or be the result of) waste prevention actions that have taken place prior to the EWWR.

 

Nature of Validated Actions

Actions must deal with the prevention of waste production, namely:

  • Non production of waste at source (daily behaviour, eco-design, eco-consumption) in both quantity and quality.
  • Repair and reuse of items.
  • Home or community composting.

 

Themes of EWWR Actions

In order for the action to be validated, it must be registered under one or more of the following categories:

  • Too much waste (raising public awareness): explain the concept of waste reduction, including the environmental, sociological and economical challenges. 
  • Better production (product design and production): make known the measures that can reduce the quantity of waste generated by every aspect of economic activity (eco-design, eco-production, etc):
    • In order to reduce the impact on the environment where the will remain forever.
    • During each stage of production: supply, clean technology, distribution.
    • In order to reduce waste linked to business and industrial activity (including office waste)
  • Better consumption: better purchasing behaviour, prioritise eco-designed products with an eco-label, prioritise bulk buying, prioritise alternatives to products containing harmful substances…To have the instinct to borrow or rent those specific items that are only required for small usage. 
  • A longer life for products: encourage a shift in the life span of a new product; repair, reuse, donations/gifts (our items may have a second life!). 
  • Less waste thrown away: demonstrate the solutions that prevent waste being thrown away, paying attention to the use-by-date for the consumption of products, making sure the tube has been finished before opening a new one, practising home composting, promote reusable products, products with little or no packaging, eco-friendly products; place of production rather than the product. 

Each project that deals either entirely or partly with another theme than those above will be refused.

 Examples of such projects: actions based on collection with the aim of recycling; visit to a sorting facility; exposition or activity on “better sorting of waste” etc, will be refused.

The global issue of waste management and its challenges can be addressed provided that it clearly indicates the priority of waste prevention in the waste management hierarchy.

Under no circumstances shall the name of the project contain a reference to the notion of sorting or recycling, nor shall any action deal with collection or waste treatment.

Under no circumstances shall the validated EWWR action be focused on a product or a commercial project.

 

Complementary information - Commitments of the Project Developer:

  • EWWR actions will be led by Project Developers who can be clearly identified and who are either legal entities or individuals (individuals may be accepted as official EWWR Project Developers on the condition that their statute is recognized by a municipality, for example: a master composter);
  • Each action must be registered and officially validated by the (national, regional or local) Organiser covering the area where the action will take place. Registration will be made via a form.
  • The EWWR action will be carried out in respect of the law and regulations of the country in which the action takes place and will obtain the permission necessary for its correct proceeding;
  • The action will seek to promote and encourage positive habits and gestures;
  • The action will be carried out in a spirit of openness and cooperation and not in a militant or combative manner;
  • The action will not be used to serve a political or religious purpose and will not be in breach of good morals;
  • The action will be non-profit and entry will be free;
  • Under no circumstances shall the certified EWWR action be focused on a product;
  • The Project developer commits to using the European Week for Waste Reduction logo and LIFE logo only within the framework of this registered EWWR action; the rights of use of the logo being restricted to this single action;
  • The Project Developer commits to evaluate his/her EWWR action after it has taken place (quantitative/qualitative evaluation) according to the criteria that he/she has mentioned on the registration form (examples: number of visitors, quantity of waste avoided…);
  • Unless otherwise indicated on the registration form, the validated EWWR action will automatically be entered into the review and selection process for the European Waste Reduction Awards.

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