Skip to main content
Knowledge4Policy
Knowledge for policy

Supporting policy with scientific evidence

We mobilise people and resources to create, curate, make sense of and use knowledge to inform policymaking across Europe.

  • Projects and activities | Last updated: 08 Mar 2024

Designing and testing EU harmonised waste sorting labels

Context

EU waste policy aims to reduce waste and in particular packaging waste. By 2023, 70% of all packaging shall be recycled to support the EU’s transition to a circular economy. Harmonised waste sorting labels in the EU that make it easier for consumers to recycle are one way to achieve this. They are part of the Proposal for a revision of EU legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste.

Goals

This project designs and tests a harmonised labelling system for waste sorting that works for the European Union as a whole. Our work is about designing and testing a labelling system for all sorts of packaging, bins, and garbage bags across the EU (and maybe in the future on products in addition to packaging).

Methods

The project will use desk research, including a literature review of the behavioural research on waste sorting label design, stakeholder interaction, participatory design research, and online experiments.

Outcomes

The work will feed into the EU legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste.

Latest knowledge from this Project