Packaging

Wheeled recycling bins
England’s household recycling rate rises by 0.4 per cent

England’s ‘waste from households’ recycling rate has risen by 0.4 per cent to 45.5 per cent in 2019/20, falling short of the 50 per cent target reaffirmed in 2018 by Defra in the ‘Our waste, our resource: a strategy for England’.


This version of Statistics on waste managed by local... More

Paul Davidson
Addressing the plastics recycling challenge at UKRI

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 

Containerboard
Mondi considers £5 billion takeover of DS Smith

The two packaging companies are in talks about a possible transaction worth around £5 billion

beverage packaging recycling
EU beverage packaging to be fully circular by 2030
By
Patrick Jowett
| 22 February 2021 |
UNESDA outlines targets for a circular economy in the launch of its Circular Packaging Vision 2030
Vegware compostable cup
Paper Round installs compostables-specific sorting line in Essex facility
By
Fiona Binns
| 18 February 2021 |
A new sorting line for compostable catering disposables has been installed by Paper Round in its Essex facility
Beverage containers
MPs begin inquiry into future DRS
By
Patrick Jowett
| 16 February 2021 |
The Environmental Audit Committee has launched an inquiry into introducing deposit return schemes in England
Mobile recycling centre
Mobile centre brings recycling to rural residents
By
Patrick Jowett
| 16 February 2021 |
A look into Conwy County’s Mobile Recycling Centre, developed to support the move to four-weekly residual waste collections
Colour-coded recycling bins outside Somerfield, Lower Northam Road, Peter Facey (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Project aims for new waste reduction interventions
By
Patrick Jowett
| 15 February 2021 |
Keep Britain Tidy and BRITA UK team up on study that aims to use behavioural science to reduce household waste
Bins on street
Significant drop in normal food waste service collections
By
Lidia Creech
| 12 February 2021 |
The 17th ADEPT survey on impact of Covid-19 on waste services has found fewer local authorities are reporting normal operations this month than in September
ACE members using 100 per cent wood fibre from ‘legal and acceptable’ origins
By
Fiona Binns
| 11 February 2021 |
Members of the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment have provided feedback on progress made towards their wood fibre traceability commitments
Crayford MRF
35,000 tonnes of recycling processed by Viridor’s Crayford MRF last month
By
Patrick Jowett
| 9 February 2021 |
Dry mixed recycling was up 6.8 per cent compared to last January at Viridor's Crayford MRF, with notable increases in fibre and glass recycling
Crayford MRF
Rochford Council extends recycling contract with Viridor
By
Lidia Creech
| 1 February 2021 |
The local authority has signed an 18-month contract with waste management company Viridor
Garden waste
Defra to promote ‘high quality recycling’ in Waste Management Plan
By
Lidia Creech
| 28 January 2021 |
The Waste Management Plan for England evaluates how to support objectives of the Resources and Waste Strategy and the 25-Year Environment Bill and sets out measures for increasing recycling rates across England 
A plastic recycling conveyor belt
Artificial intelligence-led MRF gains planning permission in the Midlands
By
Fiona Binns
| 21 January 2021 |
City planners have awarded planning permission to a regional recycling plant in Coventry that uses artificial intelligence to process recycling
Novamont BioBag Group
Novamont acquires BioBag Group
By
Lidia Creech
| 15 January 2021 |
The Italian bioplastics and biochemicals company announced its acquisition of Norwegian BioBag Group earlier this week (12 January)
Packaging industry calls for joined-up approach to waste policy
BPF roadmap calls for reduced plastic waste exports by 2030
By
Lidia Creech
| 15 January 2021 |
The latest report from the British Plastics Federation identifies out what the UK needs to achieve to reduce dependence on exporting plastic waste for recycling
Home Compostable Wrapper
French consumers are in favour of compostable packaging
By
Fiona Binns
| 14 January 2021 |
A survey has found that 89 per cent of French consumers believe that more food should be packed in compostable packaging instead of plastic
Rick Hindley
2020 a record year for aluminium packaging recycling
By
Fiona Binns
| 14 January 2021 |
Last year broke records for the amount of aluminium recycled, with a 24 per cent increase from 2019, according to preliminary figures by the Environment Agency
Blister pack medication
Terracycle launches medicine blister pack recycling programme
By
Lidia Creech
| 8 January 2021 |
The ‘Little Packs, Big Impact’ initiative is being rolled out across UK pharmacies 
Crates of paper recycling
The Environment Exchange hits PRN trading milestone
By
Patrick Jowett
| 5 January 2021 |
Two million tonnes of PRNs traded in one calendar year for the first time
Plastic straws are one of the items identified as being very short use
‘Small but significant’ anomaly in PAS 9017 consultation process
By
Lidia Creech
| 23 December 2020 |
The steering group will reconvene in January to examine the WRAP recommendation that PAS 9017 tests for microplastics during the breakdown process  
Cross-industry group announces plan to boost black plastic packaging recycling
£26 million from UKRI for plastic packaging projects
By
Lidia Creech
| 23 December 2020 |
The funding comes as part of the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge to improve the consumer and retailer packaging supply chain
UK governments join forces with industry to expand EPR system
By
Fiona Binns
| 17 December 2020 |
An extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme that will hold producers accountable for recyclability of products to be rolled out by July 2021 in all four nations of the UK