Held annually since 2009, the European Week for Waste Reduction encourages communities and individuals to prevent waste and use resources more responsibly. This year’s campaign will run from 21 to 29 November. Schools, local authorities, civil society organisations, businesses, public institutions, and individuals are invited to develop initiatives that are achievable at a local level and contribute to more sustainable practices in the long term.  

This year’s theme, material efficiency, highlights how everyday choices can help reduce the raw materials we consume and the waste we produce. Conscious shopping, repairing items, swap schemes, and community sharing are all ways to reduce waste. The initiative also highlights that waste reduction is not simply a matter of managing waste once it has been generated; preventing it from being produced in the first place is just as important.  

The subject is particularly relevant to an institution such as MOME, where design thinking and creative practice play a key role in shaping the future. In his speech at the launch event, MOME Rector Csaba Kovács emphasised designers’ responsibility to incorporate sustainability considerations into their work, highlighting how design and design thinking can offer tangible solutions to environmental challenges.  

He also mentioned MOME Zero, whose team won a prestigious international sustainability award in September. The initiative is a good example of how sustainability at MOME is not just part of teaching and research, but also informs concrete projects and practical solutions. 

There are five categories for registering an initiative for the European Week for Waste Reduction: individuals, educational institutions, civil society organisations, public bodies, and businesses. The deadline for registration is 9 November 2026.  

Smaller-scale, locally organised initiatives are equally welcome. A repair workshop, a swap event, a reuse scheme, or even a change in an organisation’s everyday practices can all contribute to a shift in attitudes. Completed initiatives can also be entered for the national category awards, with category winners going on to compete before an international jury. Over the past few years, Hungary has consistently achieved outstanding results in the European Week for Waste Reduction. The initiative’s popularity and success in Hungary are reflected in the 598 actions registered and carried out across the country in 2025.  

MOME lecturers and students are also invited to contribute their own ideas, showing how thoughtful design and the efficient use of resources can become part of everyday practice.  

Registration and further information

The European Week for Waste Reduction is coordinated in Hungary by the National Energy Agency Plc., on behalf of the Ministry Responsible for the Living Environment, with the Association of Environmental Service Providers and Manufacturers (KSZGYSZ) as its professional partner.