Business

Stop reckless driving around bin lorries, says Kent campaign
Waste Management
Stop reckless driving around bin lorries, says Kent campaign

Viridor invests £15m in Suffolk recycling plant
Waste Management
Viridor invests £15m in Suffolk recycling plant

Waste management company Viridor has made a £15.4-million investment in an Ipswich recycling facility as part of its renewed contract with Suffolk County Council.

Fashion producers should pay a penny per item to fund waste collection, say MPs
Retailers
Fashion producers should pay a penny per item to fund waste collection, say MPs

Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee has released its final report from its inquiry into the sustainability of the fashion industry, calling for sweeping changes to improve working conditions and reduce the amount of waste produced in the supply chain.

Bulky waste collections could increase recycling rates by 1.5 per cent
Bulky waste collections could increase recycling rates by 1.5 per cent
By
Rob Cole
| 20 February 2019 |
New research suggests local authorities could boost recycling and save more than £450,000 over five years by introducing collections of bulky waste for reuse.
Dsposal's Developer Georgios Rovolis, CEO Tom Passmore and COO Sophie Walker
Dsposal wins £80k government waste crime contract
By
Rob Cole
| 20 February 2019 |
Manchester-based compliance start-up Dsposal has been awarded a contract worth £80,000 to develop a smart waste tracking system to combat waste crime across the UK.
Plastic packaging
Government launches resources and waste consultations
By
Kate Dickinson
| 18 February 2019 |
Consultations have been opened on four key measures in the Resources and Waste Strategy, seeking views on producer responsibility, consistent collections, deposit return schemes and the plastics tax.
A disposable coffee cup in a bin
Businesses join forces to tackle Scotland’s coffee cup waste
By
Kate Dickinson
| 15 February 2019 |
Some of the UK’s biggest disposable coffee cup retailers, recyclers and producers, including Frugalpac, have teamed up for the Cup Movement, a new recycling and reduction scheme in Scotland.
UK recycling rate increases to 45.7 per cent
UK recycling rate increases to 45.7 per cent
By
Rob Cole
| 15 February 2019 |
The UK’s Waste from Households recycling rate has risen 0.5 per cent to 45.7 per cent in 2017, according to the latest official statistics from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Bricks and wood waste at a construction site
ZWS launches initiative to reduce construction waste
By
Kate Dickinson
| 14 February 2019 |
Zero Waste Scotland and Construction Scotland Innovation Centre have teamed up to tackle the huge amounts of waste coming from the construction industry.
Jane Stephenson appointed Chair of Resource Futures
Jane Stephenson appointed Chair of Resource Futures
By
Rob Cole
| 13 February 2019 |
Resource Futures has announced the appointment of founder and former CEO Jane Stephenson as Chair of the resource efficiency organisation, while David Lerpiniere will join the Executive Team as Head of Waste, Resources and Development.
Birmingham bin strike talks collapse
Birmingham bin strike talks collapse
By
Rob Cole
| 13 February 2019 |
Strike action by refuse workers over the ongoing dispute between the Unite union and Birmingham City Council is set to go ahead as peace talks between the two parties collapsed yesterday (12 February).
OPRL celebrates its first 10 years
OPRL celebrates its first 10 years
By
Rob Cole
| 12 February 2019 |
The On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL) scheme is celebrating 10 years since its foundation in 2009 with the aim of engaging consumers more actively in recycling through simple visual cues on packaging.
Nominees for Best Recycled Plastic Product awards announced
Nominees for Best Recycled Plastic Product awards announced
By
Rob Cole
| 11 February 2019 |
A sustainable plastic toothbrush and a recycled plastic wine bottle are among the innovative products in the running for this year’s Best Recycled Plastic Product Innovation and Sustainability in Plastics Recycling awards.
Recycling Technologies appoints new Technical Director
Recycling Technologies appoints new Technical Director
By
Rob Cole
| 11 February 2019 |
Plastic recycling specialists Recycling Technologies has announced the appointment of Marvine Besong to the position of Technical Director as it prepares to commence commercial manufacturing of its feedstock recycling machine, the RT7000.
Waste criminal ordered to pay £1.3m for WEEE recycling fraud
Waste criminal ordered to pay £1.3m for WEEE recycling fraud
By
Rob Cole
| 8 February 2019 |
A convicted waste criminal has been ordered to pay £1.3 million for defrauding e-waste recycling schemes out of millions of pounds in a Proceeds of Crime hearing at Leeds Crown Court.
Education pilot doubles amount of food waste collected in Ireland
Education pilot in Ireland doubles amount of food waste collected
By
Rob Cole
| 7 February 2019 |
Households in the Irish town of Sligo have more than doubled the amount of organic waste collected for recycling following a year-long consumer awareness programme.
Ban plastic waste exports to developing countries, say MPs
Ban plastic waste exports to developing countries, say MPs
By
Kate Dickinson
| 7 February 2019 |
A cross-party group of MPs has called for a complete ban on the export of the UK’s plastic waste to developing countries, but industry figures question whether this is the best solution to the plastic waste problem.
Unite announces new strike dates for Birmingham refuse workers
Unite announces new strike dates for Birmingham refuse workers
By
Rob Cole
| 6 February 2019 |
Over 300 refuse workers belonging to the Unite union are set to strike for two days a week from 19 February in an escalation of a continuing dispute with Birmingham City Council.
Biffa plans for £15m plastics recycling plant approved
Biffa plans for £15m plastics recycling plant approved
By
Rob Cole
| 6 February 2019 |
Waste management company Biffa has received planning approval from Durham County  Council to build a new £15-million plastic recycling facility near the town of Seaham.
Used and second hand clothing
Textile collections must improve to boost clothing recycling, says WRAP
By
Kate Dickinson
| 5 February 2019 |
A new report sets out how the fashion and textiles industry can increase its use of recycled fibres and move to a more circular business model.
Egbert Taylor exports continue to grow
Egbert Taylor exports continue to grow
By
Rob Cole
| 4 February 2019 |
Container manufacturer Egbert Taylor has continued its overseas expansion after securing a number of projects worth more than £1 million for its 1,100-litre Continental bins in Saudi Arabia.
Nigeria invests in WEEE recycling as UN highlights value in discarded electronics
Nigeria invests in WEEE recycling as UN highlights value in discarded electronics
By
Kate Dickinson
| 1 February 2019 |
A UN report published at the World Economic Forum says 250 million tonnes of e-waste could be produced annually by 2050, unless systemic change takes place to make the production of electronics more circular.
EAC report finds leading retailers lagging behind on fashion sustainability
EAC report finds leading retailers lagging behind on fashion sustainability
By
Rob Cole
| 31 January 2019 |
A group of major UK retailers are not doing enough to reduce the environmental and social impact of the clothes they sell, according to an interim report published by Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee.