Plastic

Kerbside box with plastic and cans
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
Environment Agency replaces quality protocols with resource frameworks

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

Cover of WRAP's LA toolkit
Communication resources released for Simpler Recycling rollout

WRAP toolkit published with guidance and editable templates for local authorities implementing reforms

Oxford-Vanden team
Vanden partners with Oxford University to develop terahertz plastic sorting technology
By
Olivia Loughran
| 3 July 2025 |
Collaboration with academic researchers aims to overcome limitations of current plastic sorting technologies
Repolywise's Bryan Ng
Production trials announced for 'atomic scissors' approach to plastic recycling
By
Beth Jones
| 27 June 2025 |
Oxford-based company announces partnership with Taiwanese companies to demonstrate novel recycling technology processing unsorted plastic waste into virgin-grade polypropylene
Computer screen displays Deepnest performance insights
Greyparrot launches AI platform connecting brands with waste data
By
Maisie Stephens
| 24 June 2025 |
New Deepnest platform provides real-time packaging performance insights to bridge information gap between producers and recyclers
Food and drink packaging
European trade associations publish guidance for food grade plastic compliance
By
Beth Jones
| 18 June 2025 |
Joint initiative aims to support waste operators in getting certification and meeting EU requirements for recycled PET food contact materials
Hands of shop assistant serving customer in package-free store using reusable containers
World Refill Day challenge targets single-use plastics
By
Beth Jones
| 16 June 2025 |
Five-day challenge issued by City to Sea’s Refill Return campaign asks shoppers to switch behaviour and adopt reusable containers
Plastic bottle placed in a reverse vending machine
Deposit Return Schemes halve drinks container litter
By
Beth Jones
| 3 June 2025 |
Analysis of 80 systems around the world finds correlation between schemes and litter reduction
Revantis pilot plant equipment
Start-up secures Series A funding for plastic recycling technology
By
Beth Jones
| 30 May 2025 |
Scottish start-up Reventas raises investment to scale chemical recycling process for polyethylene and polypropylene from pilot to commercial operation
Bales of plastic waste
€400 billion investment needed for chemical recycling viability
By
Beth Jones
| 28 May 2025 |
Bain & Company analysis suggests pyrolysis costs more than twice virgin plastic production, with 20-30 years needed to achieve cost parity
Pile of tyres
EuRIC proposes five changes to European tyre recycling policy
By
Beth Jones
| 22 May 2025 |
Trade body sets targets for recycled content and export bans to strengthen circularity of end-of-life tyres
Paul Empson, General Manager at Bakers Basco
Circular economy needs enforcement not just ambition
By
Paul Empson, General Manager at Bakers Basco
| 22 May 2025 |
Paul Empson calls for practical measures to prevent asset misuse in circular systems
Plastic waste in river
New EFRA inquiry into circular economy starts by targeting plastic waste
By
Beth Jones
| 21 May 2025 |
Backbench committee will examine progress towards resource efficiency, with an initial focus on UK role in the Global Plastics Treaty
Fruit in packaging
Campaigners call for greater Deposit Return Scheme transparency
By
Beth Jones
| 14 May 2025 |
Survey shows two-thirds believe supermarkets prioritise profits over environmental impact, with advocacy groups warning against retailer appointments to DRS management body
Carbon Cell plastic-free foam
Start-up secures £1.2M to scale plastic-free foam production
By
Beth Jones
| 14 May 2025 |
Carbon Cell raises pre-seed funding to develop biochar-based alternative from batch to continuous manufacturing
WRAP's FlexCollect trial
Plastic film recycling capacity gap looms ahead of 2027 target
By
Beth Jones
| 13 May 2025 |
WRAP’s Circular Films report suggests that storage, contamination, and infrastructure barriers remain ahead of 2027 mandatory kerbside collection
Claudia Mensi, President of FEAD (the European Waste Management Association)
The Circular Economy Act must be bold! Europe's resilience depends on it
By
Claudia Mensi
| 12 May 2025 |
EU must prioritise circular economy to ensure material security and industrial resilience, writes Claudia Mensi, President of FEAD
Environment Agency officers checking shipping container that has recycling materials for export
Further arrests made in packaging export note fraud investigation
By Resource |
9 May 2025 |
Environment Agency and Metropolitan Police detain two men for unlawfully selling fictitious recycling export documentation
Littering
No link found between biodegradable plastics and increased littering
By
Beth Jones
| 8 May 2025 |
BB-REG-NET report challenges perception about biodegradable packaging, suggesting improper waste disposal is driven by convenience and item size instead
Futamura teriyaki sauce sachet
Compostable packaging solution developed for condiment sachets
By
Beth Jones
| 7 May 2025 |
Collaboration creates bio-degradable alternative for hard-to-recycle liquid pouches used for food, sauces, and personal care creams
Reverse vending machine in Iceland, Northern Ireland
Government appoints operator to run DRS schemes
By
Beth Jones
| 6 May 2025 |
Deposit Management Organisation to manage producer registration, container collection and financial systems across England, Scotland and N. Ireland
Mattress recycling
Circular Sleep project aims to improve mattress recycling rates
By
Beth Jones
| 1 May 2025 |
FEAD leads new initiative to target 80 per cent recovery of end-of-life bedding materials through cross-industry collaboration