Join Our Event at the World Circular Economy Forum on 11 May 2023: Headache Fractions in Mixed Municipal Waste! Many consumer products pose significant waste management challenges and end up in landfills or incinerators after the use phase. From Circular Economy and waste management perspectives, such products can be considered ‘headaches’ when it comes to recycling and reducing residual municipal waste. At the workshop ‘Headache fractions in mixed municipal waste’, organised as a side event at the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF), we will discuss the issues at hand and what needs to change to increase recycling and promote circularity. The workshop will draw on learnings from a European Environment Agency (EEA) study, conducted by the European Topic Centre on Circular Economy and Resource Use. The study analysed product categories such as beverage cups, e-textiles, furniture, mattresses and others, which are considered challenging with regard to their end-of-life management. The report looks at product groups which today are: not easily recycled make up a significant part of current residual waste present an elevated risk to human health and the environment in current end-of-life systems Some of the identified challenging factors include consumer attitudes, complex structures and materials and/or the presence of harmful substances to health and the environment. Identified solutions include the reduction of complexity and favouring of non-toxic materials at the design stage and/or extended producer responsibility (EPR). Such solutions could support major EU Green Deal goals, including zero-pollution. Throughout the session, we will discuss the findings of the study and jointly reflect on implications and leverage points for better management of such products in order to increase recycling and promote circularity. Event: “Headache fractions in mixed municipal waste” – WCEF side event Date: 11 May 2023 Time: 14-15:30 CEST Format: Online Language: English For more details, please have a look at the programme here. To join the event, please register here. For additional questions, please contact Rosalyn Old.