Waste is increasingly being turned into discounts, food, products and perks, giving consumers a tangible and instant reason to participate in circular systems.
In the Netherlands, WasteBar lets people exchange cigarette butts and cans for fresh poffertjes (mini pancakes). The collected waste is recycled into public furniture and installations.
At the University of San Diego, EcoExit collects unwanted dorm items during move-out season and redistributes them to incoming students. Items tend to get claimed within 90 minutes.
In France, ReDisco transforms unwanted vinyl records, CDs and DVDs into new records and everyday objects. What began as an industry initiative is now expanding to public collection points across the country.
The opportunity for brands? Turn waste into something consumers actually want.