Today we would like to introduce the Circular WEEEP project, part of the Interreg Central Europe programme, which addresses one of today’s most pressing environmental challenges: the growing stream of electronic and plastic waste.

About Circular WEEEP

Circular WEEEP brings together public authorities, research bodies, and businesses to transform the current linear “take–make–dispose” model into a circular system where valuable materials are reduced, repaired, recovered, and reused. 

Through the development of a shared transnational strategy and local pilot actions, Circular WEEEP supports regions in preventing illegal waste trafficking, reducing landfill dependency, and fostering green innovation. With partners from seven European countries, the project actively contributes to the EU’s transition toward a fully circular economy. 

Focus area 

Circular WEEEP addresses waste reduction at multiple stages of the product lifecycle, from design to repair, reuse, collection, and recovery. The project applies a holistic approach aligned with the EU waste hierarchy: 

• Prevention and sustainable design: enabling longer product lifespans, better repairability, and circular material flows. 
• Repair and reuse: promoting repair culture and second-hand electronics markets. 
• Collection and recycling: strengthening WEEE collection systems, developing digital tools, and reintegrating secondary materials into the economy. 
• Education and governance: aligning policies, raising awareness, and supporting innovative business models that bridge policy design with real implementation. 

The result is a coordinated and coherent transnational system for WEEEP management that supports circularity at every stage. 

Key achievements 

Circular WEEEP has accomplished several milestones that significantly improve cross-border electronic waste management: 

1. Joint Strategy for Transnational WEEEP Management

A shared strategy implemented through 6 Action Plans, enabling regions to work with common goals and coordinated approaches. 

2. Five innovative pilot actions

• WEEE Design: Enhancing product design for easier recycling and longer durability. 
• WEEE Collect/Market: Creating an ICT solution for e-waste collection and an online marketplace for secondary raw materials. 
• WEEE Social: Engaging NGOs and social enterprises in WEEE management. 
• WEEE Lives: Encouraging repair services and the second-hand electronics market. 
• WEEE Aware: Implementing awareness-raising campaigns in schools, communities, and public institutions. 

3. Tools and services to support implementation

These include an online self-assessment tool that enables regions to define tailored Action Plans and scale up long-term transnational cooperation in WEEE management. 

4. Key resources for the EWWR community

Circular WEEEP offers practical tools that can inspire waste-reduction initiatives: 

• WEEE Educational Pack for Schools: ready-to-use teaching materials on e-waste prevention and repair culture. 
• Community Waste Audit & Action Planner: an easy-to-use tool for measuring waste and planning targeted reduction actions. 

How to get involved 

Circular WEEEP welcomes participation from citizens, companies, institutions, and policymakers: 

Citizens and schools 

• Bring old devices to official collection points. 
• Choose repair and reuse over replacement. 
• Take part in local awareness or collection campaigns. 

Companies 

• Integrate eco-design principles such as repairability, recyclability, and alignment with EU directives. 

Public institutions 

• Share best practices and promote the economic, social, and environmental benefits of effective WEEE management. 

Local and regional authorities 

• Support the development of the upcoming online platform that will act as a data repository for WEEE collection and market information. 

Partnering with EWWR 

Circular WEEEP proudly participates in the European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR), recognising it as a crucial platform for promoting prevention, reuse, and circular thinking. 

For the 2025 edition, Circular WEEEP will organize mobile demonstration events, transforming policies into hands-on local action. The project values the EWWR’s unique ability to inspire behavioural change and show how community-driven initiatives contribute to large-scale environmental transformation. 

Advice for EWWR Action Developers 

Create activities that clearly demonstrate how repairing, reusing, and correctly collecting electronic devices can significantly reduce waste and keep valuable materials in circulation.
Consider: 

• School challenges on repair or WEEE collection 
• Community collection points 
• Small repair workshops 
• Simple guides on device lifespan extension and proper disposal points 

These actions empower communities to take meaningful steps toward a more circular and resource-smart lifestyle. 

Do you know RREUSE? It’s Europe’s largest network of social enterprises in the circular economy, focusing on reuse, repair, and recycling. Discover how they’re making a real impact!

About the RREUSE network 

RREUSE is Europe’s largest network of social enterprises active in the circular economy, representing 34 members across 22 countries. Together, they give a second life to products while creating local jobs and social value. 

Among the materials handled by their members, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is the second-largest waste stream. Every year, RREUSE members collect  324,000 tonnes of WEEE, out of which 36,000 tonnes are locally reused, extending the lifespan of valuable products and reducing waste. 

RREUSE’s work is built on three main pillars: 

• EU advocacy: promoting stronger EU policies that recognize and support the environmental and social contributions of reuse and repair enterprises. 

• Network management: facilitating cooperation, knowledge exchange, and the sharing of best practices among members. 

• Research and projects: collecting unique sector data and leading or joining international projects to strengthen reuse, repair, and recycling initiatives. 

Focus area: reuse, repair, and recycling 

RREUSE focuses on reuse, repair, and recycling as key strategies for waste prevention. By supporting social enterprises that extend product lifespans, RREUSE helps reduce waste generation, save resources, and promote inclusive green employment. 

The network demonstrates how circular economy solutions can be both social and sustainable, combining environmental goals with social impact through job creation and community engagement.  

Key achievements 

RREUSE and its members play an active role in shaping the European circular economy through advocacy, data, and collaboration. Key highlights include: 

• RREUSE Network Map: an interactive online tool to discover member organisations across Europe. It helps individuals find second-hand or repair opportunities and supports companies seeking partnerships with social enterprises. 

• Position Paper on the WEEE Directive Review: outlining policy recommendations to strengthen the right to reuse and promote fair access to WEEE for social enterprises. 

• Upcoming Report on Reuse Targets: to be launched as part of RREUSE’s registered action during the European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR), offering data and insights to guide ambitious and achievable reuse policies. 

Through these tools, RREUSE promotes collaboration, transparency, and innovation in the reuse and repair ecosystem. 

How to get involved 

There are several ways to support or collaborate with RREUSE: 

• Explore the RREUSE Network Map to find local social enterprises, repair initiatives, and reuse centres near you. 

• Share RREUSE’s policy work—such as the WEEE Directive position paper—with local, national, or EU authorities to advocate for stronger support of reuse and repair. 

• Join the upcoming report launch webinar on reuse targets (details to be announced on RREUSE website). 

To learn more, visit https://rreuse.org. 

Partnering with EWWR 

RREUSE proudly participates in this year’s European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR), an inspiring initiative that places waste prevention at the centre of the circular economy agenda. At a time when “circularity” is often reduced to recycling, EWWR highlights the importance of reuse and repair as the first steps toward sustainability. 

RREUSE advice to EWWR action developers:
Partner with social circular enterprises to multiply impact and promote inclusive circular models. Explore our publication “Buying Social and Circular” to discover how private companies can collaborate with social enterprises, including real-world examples of e-waste refurbishment and repair partnerships. 

 

In our effort to connect you with other projects and initiatives that fight against electronic waste, today we present to you the eWAsTER project and its circular system for e-waste management.

About the eWAsTER project 

eWAsTER, part of the Interreg Euro-MED programme*, tackles the growing challenge of electronic waste (e-waste) across Mediterranean regions. The project promotes shared policies and coordinates business initiatives to transform e-waste from an environmental burden into a resource for sustainable development. 

By developing eight Local Action Plans aligned with the EU Circular Electronics Initiative, eWAsTER helps regions transition from a linear to a circular economy. Partners from eight countries collaborate to protect the Mediterranean, recover valuable materials, and foster green jobs and innovation. 

Focus area: recycling and reuse for a circular economy

eWAsTER focuses mainly on recycling and reuse, with a strong emphasis on building a coordinated circular system for e-waste management.

The project promotes the transformation of discarded electronics into secondary raw materials, reducing dependence on virgin resources and preventing pollution. It also supports reuse by encouraging the recovery of valuable components and materials within the Mediterranean economy.

While not the central focus, eWAsTER also aligns with the EU’s Circular Electronics Initiative, which promotes longer product lifespans, repairability, and eco-design.

In essence, eWAsTER aims to bridge the gap between policy and practice, creating integrated recycling and reuse systems supported by coherent governance and circular business models.

Key achievements 

During its first implementation phase, eWAsTER has achieved several key milestones: 

• Standardised e-waste data across partner regions using the joint MED Methodology, enabling consistent analysis and planning. 

• Drafted eight Local Action Plans, tailored to regional needs and aligned with EU waste directives. 
• Launched three pilot solutions now in testing: 

1. WEEE PROCURE – promotes eco-renting of electrical and electronic equipment, encouraging institutions and businesses to rent instead of buy, integrating repair and reuse in the process. 
2. WEEE BEHAVE – awareness and behaviour-change campaigns with schools, municipalities, and citizens to ensure proper e-waste collection and delivery to formal recovery channels. 
3. WEEE REUSE – supports social enterprises that give electronics and plastics a second life, creating inclusive green jobs. 

These initiatives demonstrate how eWAsTER combines policy innovation with hands-on, local action; bridging the gap between circular economy theory and real-world application. 

How to get involved 

eWAsTER is built on collaboration, everyone has a role to play: 

• Citizens and schools can participate by bringing their old devices to official collection points, choosing to repair or reuse rather than replace, and joining awareness campaigns such as WEEE BEHAVE. 

• Businesses and public administrations can test new circular models like eco-renting through the WEEE PROCURE pilot or explore reuse partnerships that give discarded electronics a second life. 

• Local authorities and policymakers can apply eWAsTER’s MED Methodology to design or improve waste management plans, embedding circularity in governance. 

Each action contributes to reducing e-waste and promoting a greener Mediterranean. To learn more or follow the project’s progress, visit the official website: https://ewaster.interreg-euro-med.eu. 

Partnering with EWWR 

eWAsTER proudly takes part in the European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR), recognising it as a key platform for sharing values of prevention, reuse, and circular thinking across Europe. The EWWR’s inclusive and open format allows any organisation or citizen to participate, amplifying the collective impact of thousands of local actions. 

The project supports the EWWR’s mission to inspire lasting behavioural change and to showcase how even small community initiatives contribute to large-scale environmental progress. 

eWAsTER advice to EWWR participants: keep fostering awareness, support policy change, and engage young generations in waste prevention. The most effective actions are those that combine everyday choices with long-term vision, helping build a circular future for Europe and the Mediterranean alike. 

*The Interreg Euro-MED Innovative Sustainable Economy (ISE) Mission is a comprehensive initiative aiming to strengthen the Mediterranean’s transition towards a circular economy by fostering innovation, collaboration, and sustainable practices among quadruple-helix stakeholders. Through transnational cooperation, the ISE Mission seeks to establish a robust ecosystem that promotes the adoption of innovative solutions and supports their integration into policies and strategies across the region. The ISE Mission currently consists of 23 Thematic Projects (TPs) clustered in four focus areas (Marine Resources, Agri-food Systems, Industrial Transition, and Resource Valorisation) and 2 Governance Projects. 

We continue to highlight exemplary European initiatives taking decisive action to reduce e-waste. One of them is the E6 Project — Ecosystems for the Extended Lifetime of End-of-Use Electrical and Electronic Equipment.

About the E6 project 

The E6 project—Ecosystems for Extended-lifetime of End-of-Use Electrical and Electronic Equipment—addresses the fast-growing challenge of Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in North-West Europe (NWE), driven largely by shorter product lifecycles. 

E6 pilots repair, reuse, and refurbishment (RRR) ecosystems with the goal of strengthening regional capacity to manage end-of-use electrical and electronic equipment more sustainably. The project focuses on creating both physical and digital infrastructures that make it easier for citizens to repair and reuse their devices instead of discarding them. 

Each participating region brings unique challenges and opportunities, making transnational cooperation essential. By sharing experiences, tools, and good practices, E6 is building local circular models for electronic equipment that can be scaled across Europe. 

The ultimate aim is to develop tools, capacity-building schemes and replicable (awareness raising) strategies that embed repair, reuse, and refurbishment into everyday life; driving a systemic shift towards circularity of electronic and electrical equipment in European regions. 

Focus area: repair, reuse and refurbishment 

E6 places its main emphasis on repair, reuse, and refurbishment (RRR) of electrical and electronic equipment. The project’s ecosystems help extend product lifespans, reduce waste, and create circular business opportunities. 

By making RRR services more accessible (through repair cafés, reuse stations, and digital support hubs) E6 encourages both citizens and organisations to view old electronics not as waste, but as resources that can be recovered, repaired, and reused. 

Key achievements 

One notable success comes from The Hague, one of E6’s partner cities. During a recent awareness event, the city piloted innovative RRR features at its waste station: 

• A repair café and second-hand shop were installed directly before the waste compactor, giving residents the opportunity to repair or donate items instead of throwing them away. 

• Secure drop-off points for phones, laptops, and tablets enabled safe data disposal and encouraged citizens to declutter responsibly. 

• Flyers were distributed linking residents through mapping to nearby repair cafés and second-hand stores, supporting long-term behavioural change. 

Outside City Hall, a powerful visual display—a container filled with 5,130 kg of e-waste (the amount collected daily in The Hague)—highlighted the city’s annual total of 1.8 million kg. A city map showcasing local repairers and reuse outlets illustrated practical alternatives available to citizens. 

This pilot is part of a broader two-week campaign to boost public engagement in circular practices and promote a culture of reuse and repair in The Hague. 

How to get involved 

E6 offers several ways to participate or support its mission: 

• Learn and share: help raise awareness about repair, reuse, and refurbishment as accessible and sustainable alternatives to buying new. 

• Use the digital service hub: this multi-component tool provides mapping, repair guides, data, and instructions for citizens and repairers, supporting RRR implementation across regions. 

• Explore business models: E6 validates circular business approaches that make repair and refurbishment economically viable. 

• Stay connected: sign up for the E6 newsletter by contacting Leona McGee (leona.mcgee@ernact.eu) or visit the official website at https://e6.nweurope.eu/  

Partnering with EWWR 

Although E6 is not formally participating in this year’s European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR), all 19 project partners have been informed and encouraged to engage. 

E6 particularly values EWWR’s focus on awareness creation, a goal shared by both initiatives. Raising public understanding of repair and reuse is essential for changing consumption patterns and reducing electronic waste. 

E6 advice to EWWR action developers:
Connect with national platforms and large-scale projects like E6 to amplify impact, share tools, and build stronger networks for waste prevention and circular innovation across Europe. 

As part of the European Week for Waste Reduction 2025, ACR+ is showcasing inspiring stories from organisations across Europe that are taking bold action against e-waste. Today, discover the REPper project!

About the REPper project 

The REPper project, part of the Interreg Euro-MED programme*, aims to strengthen the European repair economy by supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), improving repair-related skills, and promoting more sustainable consumer habits. Its goal is to rethink traditional business models, place human value at the centre of innovation, and advance the circular economy. 

REPper works through three main areas of action: Supply, Training, and Demand. 

• It supports SMEs and start-ups in adopting repair-oriented business models and testing innovative services. 

• It develops a training platform to upskill and reskill professionals, trainers, and apprentices in repair techniques. 

• It promotes a culture of repair through awareness campaigns and behavioural nudges encouraging citizens and policymakers to embrace repair as a sustainable choice. 

By integrating these complementary actions, REPper demonstrates the potential of a systemic, cross-sectoral, and transnational approach to repair: one that drives sustainability, innovation, and social impact. 

Ultimately, the project seeks to inspire behavioural change, support entrepreneurship, and shape public policies that put repair at the heart of a more circular European economy. 

Focus area: repair as a waste reduction strategy 

The REPper project focuses primarily on repair as a key driver for waste prevention, while also promoting reuse through education and awareness. 

Through a transnational network of Repair Hubs (both physical and virtual) across ten partners in eight European countries, REPper enables concrete actions that extend product lifecycles and reduce premature disposal. 

• Physical Repair Hubs act as community spaces for hands-on learning, technical training, and collaboration. They help citizens, SMEs, and professionals repair small appliances, textiles, shoes, furniture, and other durable goods, directly increasing reuse and reducing waste. 

• Virtual Hubs promote awareness and capacity building, offering repair tutorials, guides, directories of professionals, and opportunities for digital knowledge exchange. 

Together, these hubs support a cultural and practical shift from a “use-and-dispose” mindset toward circular repair and reuse practices. 

Key achievements 

The REPper project is building a European movement around repair, sustainability, and circular innovation. Working collaboratively across eight countries, partners are developing a growing network of Repair Hubs that serve as spaces for learning, collaboration, and community engagement. 

Among its most visible results are the Repair Festivals, open and inclusive events where citizens can join repair demonstrations, discover sustainable business models, and experience how repair contributes to environmental responsibility. 

• Marseille (October 2024) and Thessaloniki (2025) successfully hosted the first two festivals. 

• The final festival will take place in Bologna (spring 2026), gathering partners, policymakers, and citizens to celebrate and advance repair culture. 

Beyond these public events, REPper’s deeper impact lies in building skills, strengthening networks, and fostering long-term collaboration among professionals, policymakers, and communities to sustain a thriving repair economy. 

How to get involved 

There are several ways to participate in and support REPper: 

• Join your local Repair Hub: hubs are being established in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain. 

• Take part in webinars and online events through the official website https://repper.interreg-euro-med.eu/, where experts share repair insights, tutorials, and circular economy strategies. 

• Attend the Bologna Repair Festival (spring 2026) to meet the community, learn hands-on repair skills, and explore sustainable innovation. 

• Sign the REPper Pledge for Circular Economy: a simple yet powerful way to commit to repair and reuse, available online at https://repper.interreg-euro-med.eu/repper-pledge/. 

By taking the pledge or engaging in REPper’s activities, participants join a growing European network working to reduce waste and embed repair into everyday life. 

Partnering with EWWR 

The European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) shares REPper’s mission of raising awareness and inspiring behaviour change. Both initiatives seek to move beyond recycling to focus on reduction and repair as long-term solutions for waste prevention. 

EWWR’s open and participatory model provides an effective framework for local and grassroots initiatives to take action. Its holistic approach (combining awareness, education, and community involvement) aligns perfectly with REPper’s goals. 

REPper advice to EWWR action developers:
Highlight repair as a central theme by organising repair cafés, public demonstrations, or online hubs. Share real stories that show how repairing and reusing not only protect the environment but also save resources and money. By doing so, you help make repair a normal, rewarding, and sustainable part of daily life. 

*The Interreg Euro-MED Innovative Sustainable Economy (ISE) Mission is a comprehensive initiative aiming to strengthen the Mediterranean’s transition towards a circular economy by fostering innovation, collaboration, and sustainable practices among quadruple-helix stakeholders. Through transnational cooperation, the ISE Mission seeks to establish a robust ecosystem that promotes the adoption of innovative solutions and supports their integration into policies and strategies across the region. The ISE Mission currently consists of 23 Thematic Projects (TPs) clustered in four focus areas (Marine Resources, Agri-food Systems, Industrial Transition, and Resource Valorisation) and 2 Governance Projects.