Government

Kerbside box with plastic and cans
UK Local Authority
Councils face projected £61m annual loss of income from DRS

Local authorities in England will lose an estimated £61.4 million per year in net income once the deposit return scheme (DRS) reaches its 90 per cent return rate target, according to analysis by compliance scheme Valpak.  

aerial image of an AD plant
UK Central Government
Environment Agency replaces quality protocols with resource frameworks

New guidance for compost, digestate and biomethane tightens plastics limits and removes market restrictions

Cages for fish farming in Scotland
Devolved Governments
Scotland consults on circular economy strategy to 2045

Draft strategy identifies five priority sectors and introduces national monitoring framework

Graham Horn / Cottage Lane flytipping / CC BY-SA 2.0
Defra opens consultation on waste permit reforms
By
Beth Jones
| 8 April 2025 |
UK and Welsh Governments launch joint review to close loopholes exploited by illegal waste fraud, following Corry Review
Jay Flynn opening Emmaus Department Store
Homelessness charity opens second-hand department store
By
Beth Jones
| 3 April 2025 |
Emmaus Preston transforms a former Debenhams site into a sustainable reuse shop
A box full of recovered vegetables and fruits from hypermarket waste
Waste intensity falling in EU, but member states advised to tighten regulation
By
Beth Jones
| 3 April 2025 |
The European Environment Agency report finds many countries overly reliant on voluntary measures and failing to utilise regulatory instruments to prevent rising waste volumes
Aluminium cans
Alupro and LARAC partner to boost aluminium recycling rates
By
Beth Jones
| 2 April 2025 |
The collaboration aims to enhance council recycling programs and improve household participation rates
Jeans with sewing equipment in pocket
London Textile Action Plan sets nine-point strategy for sustainable fashion
By
Beth Jones
| 2 April 2025 |
Cross-sector coalition unveils roadmap that outlines circular vision for capital’s £11 billion textile sector
Recycling operative standing in front of waste collection vehicle holding two collection sacks, one labelled 'Paper and Card'
eTEEP tool to help councils comply with Simpler Recycling regulations
By Resource |
1 April 2025 |
WRAP launches web-service to evaluate whether local authorities can continue collecting paper and card recycling with other materials.
Pile of tyres
Environment Agency to review its approach to waste tyre exports
By
Beth Jones
| 1 April 2025 |
Following the release of the BBC’s File on 4 ‘Tyre Scandal’ and legal campaign from Fighting Dirty, the government body will take three months to investigate UK tyre shipments to India
Old Town of Tallinn, Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn becomes first European capital to seek zero waste certification
By
Beth Jones
| 27 March 2025 |
Estonian city joins Mission Zero Academy programme with ambitious waste reduction and recycling targets
Bins next to UK Parliament
England’s household recycling rate rises to 44 per cent
By
Beth Jones
| 27 March 2025 |
Latest figures for 2023/24 reverses recent decline, but still remains below pre-pandemic levels
Defra Secretary of State Steve Reed
Steve Reed announces plans to end UK ‘throwaway society’
By
Beth Jones
| 27 March 2025 |
Circular Economy Taskforce to prioritise textiles, transport, construction, agri-food and chemicals and plastics sectors
Clothes on hangers
EU requires ‘systemic shift’ for its Textiles Strategy to tackle rising consumption
By
Beth Jones
| 26 March 2025 |
The clothing, footwear, and household fabrics industries are the fifth largest consumer of raw materials, water and land, and produced over 159 million tonnes of CO2 in 2022
Celtic Renewables’ biorefinery
Fragmented policy hinders UK bioeconomy’s potential to generate £204B in revenue
By
Beth Jones
| 26 March 2025 |
BB-REG-NET report highlights how conflicting governmental perspectives limit development of sustainable bio-based materials sector
End-of-life tyres (Paul McIlroy / Used tyres / CC BY-SA 2.0)
BBC Investigation: Millions of end-of-life tyres exported to illegal pyrolysis facilities
By
Beth Jones
| 26 March 2025 |
The BBC ‘File on 4’ investigation finds UK tyres fuelling toxic pollution in unlicensed processing plants, prompting industry calls for immediate regulation
Anaerobic Digestion Plant © Chris Allen
AD plants ‘at serious risk of closing down’ as subsidies phased out
By
Beth Jones
| 25 March 2025 |
ADBA warns more smaller plants may close, despite the sector providing significant amount of UK’s renewable energy
Loading scrap metal into electric arc furnace
EU proposes export restrictions as 19M tonnes of metal scrap leave Europe annually
By
Beth Jones
| 21 March 2025 |
The European Steel and Metals Action Plan aims to increase demand for recycled metals while preventing valuable resources from flowing to third countries
Arnold's Field fire (Photograph: London Fire Brigade)
Havering Council faces legal action over Arnold’s Field contamination dispute
By
Beth Jones
| 20 March 2025 |
High Court hears judicial review from Clear The Air In Having over council’s refusal to classify illegal landfill site as contaminated, despite threat to local health
Plastic recycling conveyor belt
Europe’s plastic recycling industry is ‘at a breaking point’
By
Beth Jones
| 20 March 2025 |
Plastics Recyclers Europe warns of plant closures and falling domestic production as imports rise and economic pressures mount
UK shipping port
Environment Agency makes arrests for £747,000 recycling credit fraud
By
Beth Jones
| 13 March 2025 |
A 45-year-old and 43-year-old have been released on bail as part of ongoing investigation into illegal recycling export paperwork scheme
Bristol recycling vehicle and worker
Bristol Council drops plans for four-weekly residual waste collections
By
Beth Jones
| 12 March 2025 |
Consultation closes with more than 11,000 signatures gained on ‘Say no to monthly bin collections in Bristol’ petition
EU packaging label prototype
EU harmonised waste sorting labels face design challenges
By Resource |
11 March 2025 |
JRC consultation reveals competing priorities for packaging and waste receptacle labelling as 2026 implementation deadline approaches