UK Central Government

Waste electronic and electrical equipment
UK worst offender for illegal e-waste exports, says EAC

The UK is the worst offender in Europe for illegally shipping its e-waste to developing countries according to a new report published by the Environment Audit Committee (EAC).Electronic Waste and the Circular Economy, authored by the cross-party parliamentary group, explores how the UK could reduce its environmental impact, create economic opportunities and maintain access to vital materials by better managing and minimising its e-waste.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak
Government commits to separate food waste collections in spending review

Among the waste priorities for this year’s spending review are increasing recycling, EPR for packaging waste, a DRS and implementing food waste collections across all councils in England

Silage wrap on bales of hay
Environment Agency cracks down on agricultural plastic waste

Regulatory body has called on farmers and agricultural businesses to check their waste management processes to halt illegal exports from the UK

Waste falling from conveyor belt at a recycling facility
£1.5 million university research project targets plastic waste streams
By
Lidia Creech
| 19 November 2020 |
The University of Manchester has been awarded funding by UKRI to simplify recycling methods and reduce plastic pollution
Food packaging waste
£8 million investment in sustainable packaging
By
Lidia Creech
| 18 November 2020 |
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has announced that ten university-led projects will receive funding to tackle plastic pollution under the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging (SSPP) Challenge.
EfW plant
XR calls for Prime Minister to decarbonise waste sector
By
Lidia Creech
| 16 November 2020 |
Climate activist group Extinction Rebellion has joined a coalition calling on the Government to decarbonise the waste sector, highlighting ways in which the UK could reduce its reliance on energy-from-waste and meet its net-zero target of 2050.
Plastic flake
Government publishes responses to Plastic Packaging Tax consultation
By
Lidia Creech
| 16 November 2020 |
The UK Government has released a summary of responses to its Plastic Packaging Tax consultation.
Tim Gent
The PRN system is ripe for reform, not replacement
By
Tim Gent
| 13 November 2020 |
Replacing the PRN system with an ‘all-in’ deposit return scheme is not the answer for glass, says Recresco director Tim Gent
The University of Exeter
£22.5 million funding announced for new circular economy research centres
By
Emma Love
| 11 November 2020 |
The government has announced the funding of five new research centres, which will explore how major UK industries can become more circular.
WEEE
Tackling ‘shoddy’ electronics can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions
By Resource |
6 November 2020 |
Green Alliance research finds that identifying and penalising producers of low-quality electronics could drive efficiencies annually worth up to 800,000 tonnes of avoided carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.
E-waste dismantling in Delhi
Fund announced to support informal e-waste dismantling in India
By
Fiona Binns
| 6 November 2020 |
Innovate UK’s Global Challenge Fund awards £9.3 million funding to consortium to develop model to develop sector of informal dismantlers of e-waste.
UK shipping port
Illegally shipped waste returned from Sri Lanka to UK
By
Lidia Creech
| 30 October 2020 |
The Environment Agency has announced that 21 containers containing illegal waste materials have been returned to their point of origin in the UK.
Cardboard packaging
Kong to fund environmental projects after breaching packaging regulations
By
Lidia Creech
| 27 October 2020 |
Dog toy company Kong has made a payout of almost £5,000 to environmental projects after being found by the Environment Agency (EA) to have breached packaging waste regulations in the years 2012-15.
Houses of Parliament
Environment Bill amendment will give Government a 'get out of jail free card'
By Resource |
22 October 2020 |
A proposed change to legislation gives powers to Defra’s Secretary of State to issue and revise enforcement guidance to the regulator responsible for environmental protection.
Recycling Technologies branch in Swindon
UKRI invests in recycling technology for UK
By
Lidia Creech
| 19 October 2020 |
In its largest investment the UK has made in plastic packaging recycling technologies, UKRI has boosted funding for recycling projects by £20 million.
Defra sign
Defra appoints new Chair of ACP
By
Lidia Creech
| 15 October 2020 |
Deep Sagar has been appointed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as Chair of the Advisory Committee on Packaging.
DAERA Minister supports Reward4Waste launch
Northern Irish residents rewarded for recycling in DRS app trial
By
Fiona Binns
| 15 October 2020 |
CryptoCycle has launched a recycling app, Reward4Waste, making returning single-use packaging accessible and practical in the run up to a DRS being introduced into law.
Powerhouse Energy makes two senior appointments
By Resource |
1 October 2020 |
Waste-to-energy company Powerhouse Energy has appointed two new senior members of staff.
Plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds now illegal in England
By
Fiona Binns
| 30 September 2020 |
Defra’s announcement that it is now illegal for businesses to supply plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds to customers has been heavily criticised by environmental charities for not going far enough.
Plastic straw ban dubbed “just a drop in a very plastic polluted ocean”
By
Fiona Binns
| 29 September 2020 |
Plastic pollution campaign group City to Sea has today called the UK Government ban on plastic straws, cotton buds, and drink stirrers, “just a drop in a very plastic polluted ocean” and urged it to scale up its plans.
Chatham House
Paper calls for a circular and resilient Covid-19 recovery in Latin America
By
Fiona Binns
| 29 September 2020 |
Latin America and the Caribbean must reconsider its economic model in order to fight the long-term impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new research paper by Chatham House.
Incinerator at night
Extend landfill tax to incinerator emissions, says white paper
By
Fiona Binns
| 23 September 2020 |
The UK should price emissions from waste disposal, including landfill and incineration, to help reach the country’s target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, according to a new white paper by the Zero Carbon Campaign.
Viridor truck
Viridor survey reveals public want producers to pay for recycling
By
Fiona Binns
| 22 September 2020 |
64 per cent of UK residents would like to see manufacturers pay for recycling instead of local authorities, according to a YouGov poll commissioned by UK waste management company Viridor.