Waste prevention refers to measures that avoid the waste generation at source, measures that focus on the reuse of products and materials or preparation for reuse of waste. When starting to identify waste prevention measures at the regional and local level it is appropriate to focus on the most relevant waste streams such as food and biowaste, paper/cardboard, plastic (packaging), glass and textiles.
This best practice deals with the implementation of waste prevention measures that target both households and public and private organisations. Some examples are adoption of local plastic bag charges, support for the setup of repair shops, introduction of product/material exchange areas in the territory as well as cooperation with social economy organisations, NGOs and restaurants to encourage the development of agreements for the reduction of food waste, thanks to donations. Waste prevention measures can be identified by:
- Assessing current waste generation patterns in the territory;
- Prioritising the most relevant waste streams in terms of prevention potential, such as food waste and biowaste, paper/cardboard, plastic (packaging), glass and textiles;
- Elaborating a local waste prevention strategy involving the relevant stakeholders (e.g. residents, local business…)
- Monitoring the results of the waste prevention measures adopted and, in light of the results, reviewing the waste prevention strategy.