ZERO WASTE URBAN PARKS

<< Background >>Waste is a major challenge in European cities, and public parks are particularly difficult places to manage it sustainably. In addition to maintaining green areas, parks attract diverse visitors for leisure and education, which creates complex waste streams. Staff often focus on cleaning litter rather than preventing it, and lack tools to guide behavior change. This project addressed the need to equip park staff and partner organizations with innovative strategies for maintenance, awareness, and community engagement.By connecting urban parks through the shared aspiration of becoming waste-free, the project created a platform for exchanging experiences, testing solutions, and engaging communities. Waste expert organizations contributed knowledge, while parks provided real-life testing grounds. Together, partners worked towards the vision of waste-free parks that will inspire green spaces across Europe.<< Objectives >>The project set out to develop a new methodology for waste management in European urban parks — to produce an innovative Zero Waste Urban Parks Handbook with replicable best practices, strengthen the educational competencies of the partner organizations in enabling behavior change, and foster greater awareness and encourage sustainable habits among park staff, visitors, and other stakeholders.Four urban parks and their partner organizations joined forces to reduce waste and promote sustainable behavior, laying the foundation for an international network that will continue to grow.<< Implementation >>Partners participated in four international staff trainings, each bringing together around 20 participants for intensive three-day programs. In total, about 50 different individuals were involved across the four trainings, combining theory, peer exchange, and practical learning.During the project, nine urban parks were visited in the four countries, giving participants the opportunity to analyze diverse contexts and test solutions directly on-site. International exchanges, co-creation sessions, and workshops generated useful insights, all consolidated into practical outputs.In addition, four multiplier events (one per country) and 16 local focus groups reached more than 250 professionals in total, ensuring that the project’s ideas and tools spread widely to decision-makers, municipal staff, researchers, and community actors.<< Results >>The project significantly enhanced the skills and knowledge of adult learners, enabling them to design, implement, and communicate zero-waste strategies in urban parks. Many participants became reference points for zero-waste expertise in their organizations and wider networks.At the local level, the project demonstrated tangible impact: in some areas, up to 9 tons of residual waste per year were eliminated. More than 100 best practices were collected during park visits and workshops, proving the richness of international exchange.The consortium produced the Zero Waste Urban Parks Handbook, which compiles these tested practices into a practical tool for other urban green spaces. Importantly, the Handbook is freely available to everyone in five European languages, ensuring wide accessibility and long-term dissemination across borders.Beyond the concrete outputs, the project fostered a culture of collaboration and innovation: international peer learning, local community engagement, and a growing network of zero-waste parks ensure that its impact will extend well beyond the project’s lifetime.