CEP, in collaboration with Zero Waste Lab and other organisations, initiatives and experts, have developed a manifesto on the importance of reuse and repair towards creating a low-carbon circular economy. This collective vision forms the starting point of an advocacy campaign that will run throughout this year.

We believe that the reuse (which often includes repair) of consumer goods is a key strategy for creating a waste-free society. Instead of discarding goods and materials, we should extend their useful life as much as possible through repair and reuse, whether they are clothing, furniture, equipment, toys, building materials or other objects. Indeed, reuse brings several socio-economic and environmental benefits - it avoids further use of resources (materials, energy and water), decreases waste production, helps citizens save money and creates new job opportunities.

We urge policy makers to create a more reuse-friendly legislative framework in Portugal. Following the manifesto, the consortium is developing a policy recommendations document - with proposed measures for integration in the new Action Plan for a Circular Economy.

This manifesto was developed by the "Reuse and Repair" working group within the Liga-Ação- Rumo ao desperdício zero platform, a project financed by EAA GRANTS, funds managed by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the Bissaya Barreto Foundation, promoted by Zero Waste Lab, in consortium with Circular Economy Portugal, Maria Granel and Friend of the Earth Norway.