The UK needs a nationwide deposit return scheme for plastic bottles and overhaul producer responsibility rules if it is to turn back the tide on plastic waste entering the environment, according to Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee.
The packaging industry is celebrating after EU negotiations ruled that packaging would retain its Internal Market legal base, making it harder for national governments to introduce unilateral bans for environmental reasons.
The recycling rate in London’s flats must increase by 40 per cent if the Mayor of London’s target of a recycling rate of 65 per cent by 2030 is to be achieved, according to a report by the London Assembly’s Environment Committee.
The Government Chief Scientific Advisor, Sir Mark Walport, has warned about the sheer bulk of waste being produced in the UK before emphasising the opportunities for generating value from this waste and creating a more prosperous society.
Environment Secretary Michael Gove has reportedly laid out plans to make recycling easier for families by requiring greater consistency in recycling collections across the UK, as well as reducing the total amount of plastic used in the UK, as part of a four-point plan.
Agreement on legislation designed to make Europe more resource efficient has been welcomed by industry groups, but with the caveat that reduced ambition in EU plans risks slowing down the transition to a circular economy.
The Green Investment Bank was sold too cheaply and would have been worth more if the government had waited for a sale, according to a report by the National Audit Office.
A report from RECOUP has found that only 42 per cent of local authorities provide ‘On the Go’ collection units for both litter and recycling, citing significant costs and lack of budget for the lack of facilities.
