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An EWWR (European Week for Waste Reduction) Action is a non-profit, awareness-raising initiative carried out during the campaign week to promote sustainable resource management and waste prevention.

Below is a breakdown of what constitutes an EWWR action, how it is structured, and how actions are evaluated.

Core Objectives & Pillars

Every EWWR action must focus on one or more of the “3 Rs” and the waste hierarchy, prioritizing prevention above all else:

 * Reduce (Strict Avoidance): Preventing waste creation at the source (e.g., eliminating single-use packaging, dematerialization, preventing food waste).

 * Reuse & Repair: Giving products a second life before discarding them (e.g., swap shops, repair cafés, donation drives).

 * Recycle & Sort: Educating on correct waste separation, composting, and resource recovery.

 * Clean-ups: Community clean-up initiatives targeting littered spaces.

Each annual edition also highlights a specific Thematic Focus (such as e-waste, textiles, food waste, or packaging).

Who Can Organize an Action? (Action Developers)

Actions can be organized by almost any registered entity:

 * Public Authorities: Local councils, municipal waste managers, regional governments.

 * Educational Establishments: Primary and secondary schools, universities, research institutes.

 * Businesses & Industry: Private companies focusing on corporate social responsibility or circular workflow adaptations.

 * NGOs & Associations: Non-profits, community groups, youth organizations.

 * Individual Citizens: Organized local neighborhood efforts.

Standard Action Description Template

When registering an action on the official EWWR platform, coordinators submit a structured description covering the following details:

| Field | Description |

|—|—|

| Action Title | A concise, catchy name reflecting the initiative’s goal. |

| Target Audience | Who the action reaches (e.g., students, employees, general public, local community). |

| Action Type | Exhibition, workshop, repair clinic, competition, policy push, or web campaign. |

| Core Theme | Reduction at source, reuse/repair, recycling, or clean-up. |

| Description & Steps | Detailed breakdown of activities, timeline, logistics, and resource materials used. |

| Expected Impact | Estimated reach (number of participants) and estimated amount of waste prevented, reused, or collected. |

Key Evaluation Criteria for EWWR Awards

Outstanding actions registered during the week are eligible for the annual EWWR Awards based on five key criteria:

 * Visibility & Communication: Clear message and broad reach across traditional/social channels.

 * Originality & Innovation: Novel approaches to engaging participants or tackling complex waste streams.

 * Pedagogical Quality: Educational value and clarity of the environmental message.

 * Long-term Impact: Actions that drive lasting behavioral change or permanent policy shifts beyond the EWWR week.

 * Alignment with EWWR Principles: Strong focus on waste prevent

ion rather than basic recycling.