A new program for local change-makers

Are you ready to support your municipality in moving from traditional waste management to a truly systemic zero waste approach?

This in-depth training program provides a comprehensive and strategic understanding of how to build a Zero Waste City and navigate the Zero Waste City certification process. 

Designed for municipal staff, sustainability experts, consultants, and local change-makers, the course combines system thinking, data literacy, to ensure complex concepts are translated into hands-on application.

Key dates: 

• Registration – 18 February – 23 March 2026

• Training program on the online platform – 1 April – 1 June 2026

• Learners will get access to the platform - 23 March 

Course investment

• Early Bird Rate (25% off): €149 (excl. VAT) – Available until 18 March 2026.

• Standard Rate: €199 (excl. VAT) – For registrations between 18 March and 23 March 2026.

Time investment 

To successfully complete this course and earn your diploma, participants should plan for approximately 25-30 hours of total learning time, spread over live sessions, self-paced module study and hands-on assignments.

Modules & Content 

• Module 1: Welcome word & how to navigate this course
  Assignment submission deadline 1 April

• Module 2: Onboarding
  90 min live session - 2 April, 14.00 to 15.30 (CEST)

• Module 3: Municipality Data & Waste Data Analysis
  How to interpret key waste-related data and use it for planning and advocacy.
  Assignment submission deadline 16 April

• Module 4:  Zero Waste & Zero Waste Cities
  Core principles, system design, and the Zero Waste hierarchy.
  Assignment submission deadline 23 April 

• Module 5: Working with Data
  120 min live session - 29 April, 14.00 to 16.00 (CEST)

• Module 6: Independent onsite field visit
  Real-world observation and analysis of local systems.
  Assignment submission deadline 15 May

• Module 7: Waste Treatment Methods
  120 min live session - 11 May, 11.00 to 13.00 (CEST)
  Preferred collection, sorting, recycling, and residual waste management.

• Module 8: Waste Prevention & Reuse Systems
  Practical measures to reduce waste generation at source. 
  Assignment submission deadline 19 May

• Module 9: Advocacy and Communication 
  Stakeholder mapping, engagement strategies, and policy influence.
  Assignment submission deadline 20 May

• Module 10: Site Visit Discussion, Waste Prevention Advocacy and Communication
  120 min live session - 25 May, 14.00 to 16.0 (CEST)

• Module 11: Role Play: From Learning to Practice
  240 min live session - 1 June, 13.00 to 17.00 (CEST)
  Simulation exercises to apply zero waste principles in realistic municipal contexts.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of the training course, the learners will:

• understand what zero waste system is,

• understand the Zero Waste City certification system in a basic level,

• understands preferred waste management and treatment methods (the Zero Waste hierarchy),

• be able to work with key waste-related data and understand the importance of data as a tool for advocacy,

• understand waste prevention and waste reduction measures and why they are essential when building a Zero Waste City,

• understand the key stakeholders in the process of building a zero waste city and how to engage them,

• be able to put zero waste principles into practice in different contexts,

• be able to advocate for a zero waste certification system.

What Makes This Training Different?

Unlike many circular economy programs, this training integrates systems thinking, applied data analysis, and behavioral insights. It offers a structured and practical pathway toward Zero Waste City certification, combining strategic understanding with implementation skills.

Meet your trainers 

Ekologi brez meja (EBM) is a non-profit founded in 2009 and one of the leading Slovenian NGOs dedicated to improving the state of the environment — focusing on efficient resource use and active citizenship. EBM has been teaching zero waste practices to municipalities since 2014, businesses from a few years later.

• Jaka Kranjc - An experienced activist, waste expert, open source developer and mentor to students. Accredited MiZA mentor and auditor for both cities and businesses.

• Ana Golja - An experienced activist who has taught children and adults in several countries and focuses on reducing waste in the tourism sector. Head of tourism work at EBM and occasional trainer for MiZA.

The Mission Zero Academy (MiZA) was set up as a spin-off of Zero Waste Europe to structure, formalise and professionalise the different tools, systems and approaches that ZWE has implemented for years. MiZA has designed and operates a Zero Waste Certification system for businesses, municipalities and trainers.

• Kaisa Karjalainen - director of MiZA and she has been the lead designer of the Zero Waste Mentor training curricula for cities and businesses and delivered most of those courses. 2023). In addition she has delivered on-site trainings on zero waste cities, auditing the zero waste certifications for different audiences. In her previous roles, she has worked in an environment school, designing and delivering different educational programmes and sessions primarily to adults and has studied several short courses about pedagogy and learning.

Zero Waste Alliance Ukraine (ZWAU) is an alliance of NGOs working to reduce waste in Ukraine through implementation of zero waste strategies.

• Anastasiia Martynenko - an environmental activist, plastics and waste expert, certified ZW Trainer, Facilitator and Mentor. Organised the first ZW Trainer course in Ukrainian and helped to translate the ZW Training Handbook into Ukrainian in 2024.

• Svitlana Karytun - National coordinator of Zero Waste Cities Programme in Ukraine, local coordinator of a ZWC Khmelnytsky, certified Zero Waste Mentor, participant of a Training for Trainers, conducted multiple educational programmes on waste management for municipal waste companies, educational workers and other municipalities, also coordinates platform Zero Waste Cities in Ukraine.

Zero Waste Estonia (ZWEE) is a non-profit organisation. Since autumn 2022, ZWEE is officially registered as an adult education provider in Estonia, a decision which came as a logical step when the BEZWA project was finishing. In 2023-2024, close to 350 learners took part in ZWEE’s courses. The majority of them were from Estonia, from the public sector (municipalities but also ministries and other governmental institutions), businesses, consultants and educators.

• Kristiina Kerge - a tech innovation lead and policy manager at ZWEE. Accredited MiZA mentor for cities and certified ZW trainer. She is a PhD student at Estonian University of Life Sciences in the field of circular economy. She is the lead trainer of this course.

• Kadri Kalle - an education program manager. She has a MSc in environmental protection and experience in both non-formal education and education for sustainable development. She has been teaching courses on environmental topics in five Estonian universities for several years and has completed many courses herself from educational psychology to group facilitation. Accredited MiZA mentor for businesses and certified ZW trainer.

Course completion requirements

We want to make sure you walk away with the confidence and skills to really make a difference! To get most of this experience and complete the course successfully, we ask that you commit to the following:

1. Be part of the conversation: Our live sessions are where learning happens! Active participation in all scheduled live sessions is essential so we can learn from each other’s ideas and experiences. 

2. Keep the momentum going: To stay on track, please ensure all module assignments and your independent field activity are uploaded to the platform by the deadlines. This keeps the workflow smooth for everyone. 

3. Dive into the Final Simulation: The Module 11 Zero Waste Roleplay is the "grand finale." It’s a fun, safe space to put your new knowledge into practice and show you’re ready to lead your city toward Zero Waste.

This training is funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ Programme (Key Action 2 – Cooperation Partnerships in Adult Education) under project reference 2025-1-EE01-KA220-ADU-000362148 and is developed in collaboration with Zero Waste Estonia and its project partners: Ekologi Brez Meja (Slovenia), Mission Zero Academy, and Zero Waste Alliance Ukraine.