Circular Economy
Zero Waste City
Definition
A zero waste city is a municipality that adopts the goal of eliminating waste sent to landfill and incineration without energy recovery, by redesigning systems for waste prevention, reuse, repair, separate collection and recycling. Recognition frameworks such as Zero Waste Europe's Zero Waste Cities Certification verify progress.
References
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This reference provides supporting context for how “Zero Waste City” is defined and used.
Overview
How it is used
Municipalities adopt zero waste strategies and seek certification; performance is benchmarked on diversion rates and residual waste per capita; the concept guides EU circular economy and waste legislation implementation at local level.
Why it matters
Cities are where consumption and waste concentrate; zero waste cities demonstrate that high diversion and prevention are achievable at scale, cutting emissions and pollution.