Materials

England to explore ban on plastic straws and cotton buds
Plastic
England to explore ban on plastic straws and cotton buds







DRS will be introduced by 2020, Gove tells MPs
Plastic
DRS will be introduced by 2020, Gove tells MPs

The government hopes to launch a new Environmental Protection Act, which will include legislation for a deposit return scheme, at the start of the next Parliamentary session, Environment Secretary Michael Gove has told MPs.

European Parliament votes through Circular Economy Package
Packaging
European Parliament votes through Circular Economy Package

One of the final hurdles in ratifying new European circular economy legislation has been cleared as the European Parliament votes through the Circular Economy Package, fixing a 65 per cent recycling target for 2035. 

Clothes recycling app has designs on textile circularity
Clothes recycling app has designs on textile circularity
By
Rob Cole
| 18 April 2018 |
reGAIN, the UK’s first app for the recycling of unwanted clothing, has been launched today (18 April) as research claims 73 per cent of consumers no longer wear up to half of the items of clothing they own.
Advetec targets plastic digestion with £600k of R&D investment
Advetec targets plastic digestion with £600k of R&D investment
By
Advetec
| 17 April 2018 |
Organic waste treatment specialist Advetec has announced it will be investing £600,000 in new laboratories and staff in order to expand its operations and target the digestion of plastic waste.
Survey reveals Britain still addicted to plastic
Survey reveals Britain still addicted to plastic
By
Kate Dickinson
| 17 April 2018 |
The British public has not changed its behaviour towards single-use plastic, and action is needed to make tap water more accessible, says a report by YouGov for BRITA and Keep Britain Tidy.
Ward opens new dock facility to increase metal exports
Ward opens new dock facility to increase metal exports
By
Ward
| 16 April 2018 |
Ward has opened a new dedicated deep sea export dock facility at Associated British Ports in Immingham, to further expand its metal export business.
£61-million Commonwealth fund to tackle plastic pollution
£61-million Commonwealth fund to tackle plastic pollution
By
Kate Dickinson
| 16 April 2018 |
The Prime Minister has pledged £61.4 million to tackle marine plastic pollution through a global alliance of Commonwealth states.
Veolia launches online organic waste marketplace
Veolia launches online organic waste marketplace
By
Rob Cole
| 16 April 2018 |
Waste management company Veolia has launched a new BioTrading website allowing businesses access to an online marketplace to buy and sell organics resources.
Defra to consult on litter enforcement guidance
By
Kate Dickinson
| 13 April 2018 |
The government has launched a public consultation on new stronger guidance for councils regarding the ‘proportionate and effective’ use of penalties for littering.
H&M makes progress towards circular model
H&M makes progress towards circular model
By
Rob Cole
| 13 April 2018 |
Fashion retail giant H&M has revealed that 35 per cent of the materials used by the company in 2017 were recycled or sustainably-sourced materials in its new Sustainability Report 2017.
Plastic packaging not preventing food waste, says FoE
Plastic packaging not preventing food waste, says FoE
By
Kate Dickinson
| 12 April 2018 |
A new report from Friends of the Earth Europe and Zero Waste Europe argues that food packaging is not helping to prevent food waste and could in fact be creating more.
Bryson Recycling initiative raises £16k for charity
Bryson Recycling initiative raises £16k for charity
By
Rob Cole
| 12 April 2018 |
Three Northern Irish businesses have helped raise £16,000 for charity thanks to a unique recycling initiative run by Bryson Recycling.
Mick George Ltd adds Cambridgeshire Constabulary to clients
Mick George Ltd adds Cambridgeshire Constabulary to clients
By
Rob Cole
| 11 April 2018 |
Waste management company Mick George Ltd has secured an agreement with Cambridgeshire Constabulary as it adds another emergency service authority to its list of commercial waste clients.
Waitrose to scrap disposable coffee cups
Waitrose to scrap disposable coffee cups
By
Kate Dickinson
| 11 April 2018 |
In a bid to cut waste and pollution, UK supermarket Waitrose has announced plans to scrap disposable coffee cups from all its stores, which it says will save 52 million cups from being thrown away every year.
No increase in recycling rates without funding reform, says LARAC
No increase in recycling rates without funding reform, says LARAC
By
Rob Cole
| 11 April 2018 |
A new policy paper from LARAC, released today (11 April), calls on the government to introduce direct charging for household waste collections and PRN reform to increase recycling and tackle the funding crisis crippling UK local authorities.
Marine litter: Don’t get carried away…
Marine litter: Don’t get carried away…
By
Chiarina Darrah
| 11 April 2018 |
With a new study appearing to show that plastic carrier bag litter on the seabed has fallen as a result of the 5p charge, Chiarina Darrah, Senior Consultant at Eunomia, asks what lessons we can legitimately draw from the data. 
Ellgia secures energy-from-waste contract with Ferrybridge
Ellgia secures energy-from-waste contract with Ferrybridge
By
Rob Cole
| 10 April 2018 |
Recycling and waste management company Ellgia Limited has announced a new partnership with Ferrybridge Multifuel Energy Limited for a spot contract supply of refuse derived fuel to generate energy from waste.
ESA urges councils to rethink bringing waste services in-house
ESA urges councils to rethink bringing waste services in-house
By
Rob Cole
| 10 April 2018 |
The ESA has launched a campaign to promote the use of outsourcing by councils as a way to make cost savings and drive innovation in waste service delivery.
Suffolk loses £550,000 a year due to poor recycling
Suffolk loses £550,000 a year due to poor recycling
By
Kate Dickinson
| 6 April 2018 |
The cost of contaminated recycling has been brought into sharp relief by Suffolk County Council, which has reported losses of £550,000 a year due to people putting recycling in the wrong bins. 
Plastic bag litter on UK ocean floor has fallen by a third
Study claims plastic bag litter on UK ocean floor has fallen by a third
By
Kate Dickinson
| 5 April 2018 |
A new scientific study shows that the number of plastic bags on the ocean floor around the UK is dropping, which could be proof that the five pence plastic bag charge is having an effect.
Government doubles maximum fine for littering
Government doubles maximum fine for littering
By
Rob Cole
| 5 April 2018 |
The maximum on-the-spot fine for littering and graffiti has been almost doubled from £80 to £150 as the government cracks down on this anti-social and environmentally damaging behaviour.
Unilever trials circular technique for PET plastic recycling
Unilever trials circular technique for PET plastic recycling
By
Kate Dickinson
| 4 April 2018 |
A new method of recycling PET plastic is being trialled by global consumer goods company Unilever, PET producer Indorama Ventures and Dutch startup Ioniqa, with the aim of eventually recycling all waste PET back into high grade food packaging.