Given the ongoing regulatory changes and growing consumer outrage, plastic waste has finally reached a tipping point on organisations’ agenda. The risk for producers and users of virgin plastics is balanced by a unique opportunity for companies ahead of the curve to unlock value from a circular economy that derives revenue from the circulation of materials rather than the extraction and conversion of fossil fuels.
Otto de Bont, CEO of Renewi, argues that the UK Government needs to learn from its continental neighbours and do more to support use of secondary resources rather than virgin materials.
Paul Davidson, Challenge Director of Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), discusses ongoing projects and challenges brought about by mass consumer plastic packaging
With mandatory food waste collections now on the horizon decisions need to be made about collection and treatment. WRM Director Ben Brown considers what this means for the coming year
David Newman, Managing Director of BBIA, considers the key messages of the new report 'A System Change Compass: Implementing the European Green Deal in a time of recovery', co-authored by SYSTEMIQ and the Club of Rome.
Dr Antonio Espingardeiro, IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers member, describes how robots and AI are revolutionising the recycling sector.
Peter James, partner and head of health and safety at national law firm BLM, explains what waste management companies need to be aware of when it comes to Covid-19 inspections.
Professor Stephen Jenkinson provides an overview of the UK’s biowaste treatment system and what the priorities for Defra should be as the UK moves towards mandatory separate collections of biowaste.
Alex Massie, Principal Consultant at Eunomia Research and Consulting specialising in the climate and ecological emergency, explains why the word ‘sustainability’ is out of date and increasingly redundant.
Louise Grantham, Chief Executive of REPIC, explores the impact of Covid-19 on the WEEE sector and how the recycling supply chain has been dealing with its effects.
Emily Rayner, Strategy and Planning Lead and behaviour change specialists 23red, explores the impact Covid-19 is having on changing waste and recycling behaviours.
BBIA Managing Director David Newman looks at how Italy’s new EPR scheme for compostable packaging will work and what lessons it can provide the UK as it revises its packaging EPR system.
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, Peter Maddox, WRAP Director, states we must look to the future and make the circular economy our new normal, promoting planetary and public health in the aftermath of the crisis.
Rick Hindley, Executive Director at Alupro, explores the possible implications of severe disruptions to UK recycling collections caused by Covid-19 and what it could mean for the aluminium packaging supply chain.
On the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Jane Asscher, CEO and Co-founder of behaviour change agency 23red, looks at how brands and businesses can help consumers to make sustainable choices in a post-coronavirus world.
As the coronavirus outbreak causes huge disruption, Robbie Staniforth, Head of Policy at Ecosurety, explores what this might mean for producer responsibility requirements in the coming year.
With fly-tipping reaching epidemic proportions in England, Nick Oettinger, Managing Director of The Furniture Recycling Group, looks at the issue, the underlying causes and what can be done to buck this socially and environmentally unacceptable trend.
Daphna Nissenbaum, CEO and Co-founder of compostable packaging producer TIPA, calls for a significant investment in facilities capable of dealing with compostable packaging to address the problems posed by plastic packaging.
With 2020 upon us, REPIC CEO Mark Burrows-Smith reflects on the year gone by – and it’s certainly been an interesting one for waste industry stakeholders and producer compliance schemes.
Paul Vanston, CEO of the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (INCPEN), calls on the resources and waste industry to be bold in its actions to combat climate change and advance the circular economy in 2020.
