European Week for Waste Reduction

The European Week for Waste Reduction is an annual Europe-wide campaign held in November to raise public awareness of sustainable resource use, waste prevention, reuse, recycling and responsible waste management.

The campaign is open to everyone. Activities may be organised by public authorities, public and private companies, educational institutions, non-governmental organisations, communities, hospitals, social care institutions, cultural organisations and individual participants.

During the campaign, participants are invited to organise practical and educational activities that help prevent waste and promote more responsible consumption. These may include repair and reuse initiatives, item-exchange events, workshops, lectures, exhibitions, creative activities and community projects. Participants can share ideas on extending the life of products, reusing materials and managing unavoidable waste correctly.

The 2026 European Week for Waste Reduction will take place from 21 to 29 November and will focus on material sufficiency. The theme encourages people and organisations to reconsider how many resources they use, choose durable and repairable products, extend product lifetimes and prevent waste before it is generated.

Registration for the 2026 campaign will open in September. Public authorities, businesses, educational institutions, organisations and residents will be invited to register their initiatives and take part in activities organised across Europe.

In Lithuania, the Ministry of Environment recognises the most active and innovative participants with letters of appreciation, while competition winners receive special prizes.