Reuse and repair in the circular economy
On 26 January 2023, the Policy Learning Platform organised an online workshop on ‘Reuse and Repair in a Circular and Social Economy’.
Product re-use and repair are the building blocks of the circular economy preventing resource depletion, diverting products and materials from landfills and incineration and reducing energy use. They also have a positive social impact, such as a high job creation potential and employment opportunities for people struggling in the labour market.
The workshop focused mainly on behavioural change and local value creation through reuse and repair and benefitted from keynote presentations by rreuse and Behaven.
Six excellent good practices have been presented by the Interreg Europe community illustrating how to drive high-impact reuse and repair initiatives at the local and regional levels.
Explore the webinar recording
Webinar agenda
Moderation and concept by Astrid Severin and Magda Michalikova, thematic experts in resource and environment efficiency.
Keynote discussions on reuse and repair strategies
- 05:19 Fred Dorsimont, Behaven (Belgium) on 'Behavioural change to drive reuse and repair'
- 21:39 Edoardo Bodo, RREUSE (Belgium) on ‘How can local authorities create a repair economy’
Working Group I – Reuse
- 33:10 Antonio Costa, from the City of Zaragoza on ‘The clothing store “Latido Verde”’ (CECI)
- 42:42 Daniel Tabone, from Wasteserv Malta on ‘Establishing new behaviours: a network of reuse centres’ (COCOON)
- 55:48 Benjamin Tyl, from APESA on ‘Network of reusable packaging organisations in France’ (RETRACE)
- Fred Dorsimont, from Behaven (Belgium)
Working group II - Repair
- 1:10:15 Ariane Julien, from Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d´Azur, on ‘Répar'acteurs: the network and brand of craftsmen who repair everyday objects’ (CECI)
- 1:22:27 Ingrid Winter, from the Regional Government of Styria on ‘Online Guide for Repair Shops’ (SUBTRACT)
- 1:35:15 Peter Christensen, from the Municipality of Aarhus (Denmark) on ‘A Rolling Repair Van’ (2LIFES)
- Edoardo Bodo, from RREUSE (Belgium) as discussant
Closing keynote
- 1:57:02 Ioannis Antonopoulos, from the European Commission (DG ENV) on ‘New reusable packaging targets and the review of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive’
Key-learnings
- Overcoming psychological barriers is a precondition to circular behaviours
- Stimulate co-creation and combination of different measures
- Invest in reuse & repair initiatives and training
- Ensure proximity and easy access to reuse & repair facilities and activities
- Use the entire toolbox for behavioural change to trigger waste prevention
- Tap into available resources (ERRF, ESF, ERDF, …)
- Foster value chain cooperation i.e. along DRS systems, craftsmen and repairers