Ireland has certainly kicked off 2025 with a bang - with a new government and a record-breaking storm, once again highlighting the need for continued advocacy from the circular economy sector. So let’s get down to (circular) business.

In Ireland, the new Programme for Government includes specific references to the shift to a circular economy. While concerns about insufficient climate action remain, it’s clear that the circular economy is key to moving the dial in the right direction. 2025 also brings a new Minister for Circular Economy, as well as developments in food waste reduction, retrofitting, and circular fashion.

Meanwhile on the global stage, the UK has formed a circular economy taskforce, and is trialling repair vouchers and reusable cup schemes, and innovations in fermented bread crusts may be the future of sustainable food.

Take a break, grab a cuppa and give yourself a few minutes to reflect on this month’s circular economy news, events, funding and opportunities.

Dive in!

• The Draft Programme for Government is out, with a dedicated focus on the Circular Economy! The programme states, ‘The Government is committed to ending the wasteful cycle of take-make-consume-throw-away, promoting sustainable practices that extend the life of products and reduce waste’. Check out the Circular Economy section (starting on page 55) and see what’s proposed.

• The New Circular Economy Minister has been named as Fine Gael’s Alan Dillon TD. Previously Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Alan Dillon will now take on the role as Minister of State for Small Business and Retail & Circular Economy. We’d like to thank Ossian Smyth, the first Minister to include Circular Economy in the title, for his work advancing the circular economy in Ireland throughout his term.

• Friends of the Earth has expressed worries that this Programme for Government risks falling into 'Climate Cakeism' - having the established climate targets in there but wanting your pollution too…[and] doesn't contain enough specific concrete actions to deliver the required reductions’. Read more here. 

• The Irish Times has released their ‘50 People to Watch in 2025’ list, from film and music to arts, activism, sport and more. While there were a handful of ‘sustainable hero’ mentions, we’d like to extend  particular congratulations to Mary Fleming of Change Clothes, for her work in the community clothing reuse hub. Explore the list in full here.

• The circular economy started 2025 with a great presence in media, with coverage from The Irish Times, Irish Examiner, and Business Post. Learn about the rise of repair cafes, what’s next for the circular economy to take full force in Ireland, how Ireland wants to achieve a circular economy but progress is stalling, and how a circular economy isn’t just good for the environment; it’s good for business.

• Meanwhile, in more sustainable fashion news - the Relove Fashion competition, funded by the waste management regional office, has seen record-breaking submissions—proof that young designers are embracing circular fashion like never before. Learn more about the competition here. 

• Great news for CULTIVATE! Their innovative Food Sharing Compass has been rightfully acknowledged by the European Commission’s Innovation Radar for its impressive market potential and significant sustainability impact. This recognition highlights the project’s potential to revolutionise food sharing practices. Read more from CULTIVATE here.

• In other food news, FoodCloud’s Growers’ Project is set to redistribute over 200 tonnes of surplus farm produce this year, tackling food waste while supporting communities. The project seeks to establish a national programme for the redistribution of surplus food from growers, supporting packaging and transport costs, to community partners across the country. Learn more here. 

• FoodCloud was also a recipient of new funding from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, alongside 15 other projects. Their Hub and Host project will deliver impact in hard-to-reach communities. All of the funded projects aim to help local farmers and producers get more value from shorter supply chains. Check out the full list of projects here.

• Reconnecting with food through home gardening can help combat waste—Lee Geoghegan from Global Action Plan Ireland shares how in his latest piece, available to read here. 

• CIRCULÉIRE has launched a best practice guide on circular innovation in Ireland’s MedTech sector. Explore it here.

• Ireland has hit a record high in home retrofits, however experts are warning that the pace must increase to meet Climate Action Plan targets. Read more here. 

• Minister O’Donovan has highlighted the record numbers of people trained in retrofitting courses—an essential step towards increasing green skills, lowering emissions and cutting home heating costs. Read more here. 

• Finally for Ireland - Dr Sarah Miller is stepping down as CEO of the Rediscovery Centre after two decades of leadership. We’d like to extend our thanks to Sarah for her incredible work over the last 20 years. Current Research and Policy Director Claire Downey has been appointed CEO and will start at the beginning of February.

• The European Council has officially adopted the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, marking a significant step forward in reducing waste across the EU. Explore the details here. 

• The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre has set priorities for the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), ensuring durability, recyclability, and recycled content become standard. Learn more about the ESPR Working Plan here. 

• A coalition of industry and advocacy groups is urging the EU to strengthen vehicle repair regulations. Challenges like non-dismantlable designs, unavailable spare parts, and software obsolescence hinder consumer rights and sustainability. The proposed regulation on vehicle circularity seeks to address these issues, ensuring easier access to spare parts, banning anti-repair practices, and improving EV battery repairability. Read more here.

• Preliminary research highlights household appliances and consumer electronics have the most potential for waste reduction through repair. The European Commission has published a framework for an EU-wide reparability scoring system, as part of broader policy goals to promote repair under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR). Explore the preliminary framework here.  

• The UK Government has announced the members of its Circular Economy Taskforce, which will help shape England’s circular strategy. Representatives from EMF, WRAP, UCL, CIWM, Suez, and more will be involved. Learn more here. 

• A report by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) outlines fiscal measures to boost the UK’s circular economy, focusing on decarbonising waste, increasing recycling, and reducing resource consumption. Read the “Shaping Future Financial and Fiscal Policies for a More Circular Economy in the UK” report here.

• The UK’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) regulations have been given the green light, despite concerns over its feasibility raised by supermarkets. Set to begin in October 2027, you can explore the guidance here.

• Exeter University is urging the UK defence sector to integrate circular economy principles into its operations, to tackle challenges such as climate change, supply chain volatility, energy geopolitics, material availability, and outdated systems and infrastructure. Read the report here.

• New research from GoUnpackaged shows 65% of Brits believe all retailers should offer reuse and refill systems. Younger consumers (18-34) are leading the shift, with 77% likely to adopt these systems if convenient. Learn more here.

• Belfast’s entertainment venues have joined forces in a drive to eliminate single use plastic cups at gigs and events in 2025. The venues are rolling out the first multi-venue reusable cup pilot in the UK and Ireland. This 12-month project aims to eliminate two million disposable cups from gigs and events. Find out more here.

• 2025 is set to be a promising year for reusables, as this week also sees the launch of Borrow Cup in Glasgow—the UK’s first cross-brand returnable cup initiative. With Scotland using 388 million disposable cups annually, this project is a step towards a scalable solution. Timed alongside potential government charges on disposables, Hubbub’s Borrow Cup could be a game-changer for the UK. Check it out.

• The UK’s Reuse Network has released its Social Impact Report 2024, calling for increased cross-sector collaboration to boost donations. The reuse sector reused 2.55 million furniture & electrical items, supporting 1.5 million households, and saved 92,566 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. Read the report in full here.

• Shareable has launched a new toolkit to help communities start and grow a Library of Things—an innovative way to promote resource sharing and reduce waste. Get started!

• The Restart Project is launching a UK-wide electrical repair voucher scheme in Spring 2025, funded by the North London Waste Authority’s Community Fund. This trial, running for six months, aims to gather data that could eventually lead to repair voucher schemes across London—and hopefully the UK. These schemes have proven effective in other countries, like Austria, in encouraging repairs. Learn more here. 

• Green Alliance is calling for stronger policies to encourage repair and reuse of electronics. The UK generates the second-highest e-waste per person globally, yet 30,000 reusable devices are discarded each week. The report recommends a ‘Right to Repair’ policy to match the EU’s ecodesign standards for repairability and durability, reuse targets for manufacturers, and stronger donation incentives. Read more about the project here.

• WRAP’s new blueprint outlines how industry collaboration can drive a circular fashion economy. Check it out here. 

• Suay Sew Shop in Los Angeles is tackling excess LA wildfire clothing donations, sorting through 50,000lb of surplus donations. Rather than letting them end up in landfill, Sew Suay is upcycling the materials while raising awareness about the climate impact of overconsumption. Read more here. 

• A new study from Sweden is exploring digital tools that support circular economy transitions in the built environment. Read the full paper here.

• Brussels is leading the way in sustainable childcare with its eco crèche initiative, replacing disposable nappies with washable alternatives in municipal nurseries. This move could cut up to 1,400 tonnes of CO2 over the next 4-6 years while also incorporating sustainable food, eco-friendly cleaning, and waste sorting. Check out this story here.

• The UK Government has launched a £15 million fund to help redistribute surplus farm food to those in need. A new scheme will help strengthen connections between farms and food banks, aiming to tackle food waste and improve the capacity of the redistribution sector. Learn more here. 

• The first global gathering of food and plastic network representatives met in Mexico for Pact Network Connect 2025. This global initiative aims to tackle broken food systems and the environmental cost of plastic waste, driving collaborative action towards a circular economy. Learn more here. 

• Environmental NGO WRAP has joined forces with the International Food Waste Coalition (IFWC) to form WRAP EU. This partnership will initially focus on tackling food waste in the hospitality and food service sector, and then expand to sustainable fashion and plastic pollution. Learn more here.

• Could bread crusts be the future for sustainable food? Research in Nature is exploring the creation of new sustainable food by fermenting surplus bread crusts. Learn more in the Conversation here, and explore the research article here.  

• Finally, featuring a new project…The ECOFAP project is transforming leather waste into 3D-printed shoe soles and heels, tackling landfill waste from footwear manufacturing. Explore their work here. 

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Circular Economy News could not happen without the support of our funders:

The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, the Department of Community and Rural Development, Dublin City Council, Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland, and the EU Life Fund.

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