Packaging

Industry welcomes ‘bold and radical’ Resources and Waste Strategy
Industry welcomes ‘bold and radical’ Resources and Waste Strategy

Key stakeholders have largely welcomed the publication of the Resources and Waste Strategy by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) this morning (18 December), calling it a “blueprint for the future” and “bold and radical”, though some reservations remain.

Resources and Waste Strategy outlines government’s circular ambitions
Resources and Waste Strategy outlines government’s circular ambitions

Plans to introduce separate food waste collections to every household in England by 2023 and ensure producers pay for the costs of managing their waste packaging have been included in the long-awaited Resources and Waste Strategy.

An example of a KeyKeg
New recycling scheme for single-use plastic beer kegs

A trial in London will see plastic KeyKegs, commonly used to store beer and wine, collected for recycling into new kegs by reprocessors OneCircle.

Ecosurety and Danone partnership to increase UK recycling investment
Ecosurety and Danone partnership to increase UK recycling investment
By
Rob Cole
| 13 December 2018 |
Global food and beverage company Danone has announced a three-year partnership with Ecosurety that will see the compliance scheme manage its packaging and waste recycling obligations in the UK.
New recycling scheme for pet food packaging
New recycling scheme for pet food packaging
By
Kate Dickinson
| 30 November 2018 |
TerraCycle has launched a recycling scheme for pet food pouches and flexible packaging.
Valpak: Collaboration is key to achieving plastics targets
Valpak: Collaboration is key to achieving plastics targets
By
Kate Nicholson
| 22 November 2018 |
Compliance scheme Valpak, the data partner for the UK Plastics Pact, has called for collaboration and innovation among signatories to help achieve the Pact’s targets.
Introduce levies on raw materials to boost secondary material markets, says Eunomia
Introduce levies on raw materials to boost secondary material markets, says Eunomia
By Resource |
21 November 2018 |
A new report by Eunomia proposes a system of levies and rebates to cut down on the use of raw materials in manufacturing and incentivise those producers that use more recycled materials.
Recycling Technologies to expand plastic recycling capacity with new facility
Recycling Technologies to expand plastic recycling capacity with new facility
By
Kate Dickinson
| 19 November 2018 |
Plastic waste reprocessor Recycling Technologies has formally opened its new facility in Swindon, which it says will triple Europe’s waste plastic recycling capacity.
UK Plastics Pact launches Roadmap to 2025 targets
UK Plastics Pact launches Roadmap to 2025 targets
By
Kate Dickinson
| 15 November 2018 |
The UK Plastics Pact has published its Roadmap to 2025, a document setting out how Pact members can achieve its ambitious targets to reduce plastic packaging waste.
Close up of the recycling machines in Leeds
Leeds recycling initiative to help homeless this Christmas
By
Kate Dickinson
| 9 November 2018 |
A new Hubbub initiative in Leeds hopes to encourage university students to donate to charity at the same time as recycling their drinks bottles, cans and coffee cups.
London supermarket launches plastic-free zones
London supermarket launches plastic-free zones
By
Rob Cole
| 8 November 2018 |
Thornton’s Budgens in Camden has introduced plastic-free zones with more than 1,700 products free from plastic packaging.
Gove raids 400 staff from environment bodies for Defra Brexit preparations
Gove raids 400 staff from environment bodies for Defra Brexit preparations
By
Rob Cole
| 8 November 2018 |
Environment Secretary Michael Gove has been accused of having “raided” 400 staff from state environment bodies in order to plug gaps in Defra’s workforce in preparation for Brexit.
Princes recycles all obligated packaging for 2018 in UK
Princes recycles all obligated packaging for 2018 in UK
By
Kate Dickinson
| 6 November 2018 |
Food and drink company Princes has announced that all of its required packaging recycling for 2018 has taken place in the UK, meaning the company has invested over £750,000 in domestic infrastructure.
Public support for resource efficient policies, says report
Public supports resource efficient policies, says report
By
Rob Cole
| 5 November 2018 |
Three quarters of the UK public want the government to ensure that businesses produce repairable and recyclable products, while 90 per cent believe that all packaging should be made recyclable, according to a new survey conducted by Cardiff University.
The range of products accepted by TerraCycle
Colgate launches UK recycling service for toothpaste tubes and toothbrushes
By
Kate Dickinson
| 2 November 2018 |
Toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes and more could now be recycled in the UK after Colgate has announced a new programme in partnership with TerraCycle.
Autumn Statement: Plastics tax to be introduced from April 2022
Autumn Statement: Plastics tax to be introduced from April 2022
By
Rob Cole
| 30 October 2018 |
A tax will be placed on the manufacture and import of plastic packaging containing less than 30 per cent recycled plastic, the Treasury’s Autumn Statement has revealed, though a coffee cup levy will not be introduced.
Mixed plastic packaging
Veolia and Unilever team up to tackle plastic waste
By
Kate Dickinson
| 25 October 2018 |
A new cross-sector partnership between Veolia and Unilever will see three years of investment into new technologies to increase the recycling of plastics in countries across the world.A new cross-sector partnership between Veolia and Unilever will see three years of investment into new technologies to increase the recycling of plastics in countries across the world.
INCPEN joins OPRL as latest guarantor
INCPEN joins OPRL as latest guarantor
By
Kate Dickinson
| 18 October 2018 |
The On-Pack Recycling Label scheme is continuing its rapid expansion as INCPEN joins its guarantors.
Vegware expands compostables collection scheme
Vegware expands compostables collection scheme
By
Kate Dickinson
| 17 October 2018 |
Compostables products manufacturer Vegware will be expanding its collection service into Bristol, the company has announced.
The new 'eco-labelling' concept from SUEZ
'Traffic light' labelling could improve packaging recycling, says SUEZ
By
Kate Dickinson
| 11 October 2018 |
A new ‘traffic light’ system for on-pack labelling could be the solution to reduce recycling confusion among consumers, according to waste management company SUEZ.
Walkers to recycle crisp packets after public outcry
Walkers to recycle crisp packets after public outcry
By
Kate Dickinson
| 9 October 2018 |
Following the viral campaign that saw members of the public posting their empty crisp packets back to Walkers, the company has announced plans to launch a recycling scheme for the much-littered packaging. 
EU beverage carton recycling rate rises for 12th consecutive year
EU beverage carton recycling rate rises for 12th consecutive year
By
ACE UK
| 2 October 2018 |
The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE) UK welcomes the continually improving rates for carton recycling.
Tesco tackling plastic bottle waste with reverse vending machine
Tesco tackling plastic bottle waste with reverse vending machine
By
Kate Dickinson
| 27 September 2018 |
Tesco has launched a trial return scheme for plastic bottles as part of a plan to implement a more environmentally-friendly approach to packaging.