Zero Waste

An image of a reusable coffee cup
Refill movement expands to coffee and hot food

Plastic pollution campaign group City to Sea has announced that the Refill movement, which encourages people to use a refillable water bottle, is launching a new pilot with retailers including Costa Coffee, Morrisons and LEON that will show consumers where they can refill their coffee cups and lunch boxes.

An image od a supermarket trolly
WRAP reiterates call for retailers to improve labelling to reduce food waste

The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has published its latest Retail Survey, revealing the progress made by supermarkets in improving food labelling and packaging. 

An image of a costa coffee cup
Costa Coffee expands partnership with Too Good To Go

Food waste app Too Good To Go, which links customers with surplus restaurant food, is now operating in 100 Costa Coffee stores across the UK.

An image of single-use plastic straws
Government publishes draft legislation on plastic straw, stirrer and cotton bud ban
By
Imogen Benson
| 29 October 2019 |
The government’s ban on plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds is due to come into force in April 2020. 
An image of Hannah Blythyn announcing the consultation in the Welsh Assembly
Welsh Government launches consultation on business recycling
By
Imogen Benson
| 25 September 2019 |
The Welsh Government has announced that it will be launching a consultation on how to increase business recycling in Wales, with a view to implementing regulatory changes in October 2021.
A Tesco supermarket
Introduce mandatory food waste reporting, says Tesco
By
Imogen Benson
| 24 September 2019 |
With a report published today (24 September) suggesting that insufficient data will cause the UK to miss the goal of halving food waste by 2030, Tesco has called for the government to introduce mandatory food waste reporting. 
A plate of food waste
Study reveals the UK wastes £9.7 billion of food each year
By
Tansy Dando
| 20 August 2019 |
A new study shows UK households throw away seven million tonnes of edible food each year, costing £9.7 billion.
Hands holding food and other biodegradable waste
UK makes progress towards zero food waste to landfill
By
Kate Dickinson
| 4 July 2019 |
The UK has reduced the amount of food waste going to landfill by almost two million tonnes since 2013, says a new report from ReFood, but big challenges remain before we can reach zero waste.
Italian Embassy employees celebrate new waste reduction initiative.
Novamont helping Italian Embassy reduce waste
By
Rob Cole
| 18 June 2019 |
Italian bioplastics company Novamont is participating in an initiative with the Italian Embassy in the UK to help the diplomatic mission to recycle or compost all of its waste.
Local residents get involved in a beach clean in Snowdonia
Seeds of change: Zero waste communities in Wales
By
Kate Dickinson
| 14 June 2019 |
As we journey toward zero waste, the challenge becomes more about capturing hearts and minds. Kate Dickinson talks to grassroots groups in Wales that have created a blueprint for others to follow.
Plastic bottles floating in a river
Wales needs to ‘step up’ on plastic pollution, says committee
By
Kate Dickinson
| 12 June 2019 |
A Welsh Assembly committee has called for the government to take swift action on plastic pollution, including banning wet wipes and introducing a deposit return scheme for drinks containers.
Keeping Portland green
Keeping Portland green
By
Noel Williams
| 11 June 2019 |
Portland, Oregon, is a regular feature at the top of American and worldwide green city lists, but how are the residents of the city driving sustainability?
ZWE's proposed waste hierarchy
A new zero waste hierarchy for the circular economy
By
Kate Dickinson
| 22 May 2019 |
Circular economy network Zero Waste Europe has developed a new waste management hierarchy that it says puts the focus on resources instead of waste.
Welsh Government launches consultation on environmental governance post-Brexit
Welsh Government launches consultation on environmental governance post-Brexit
By
Rob Cole
| 19 March 2019 |
The Welsh Government has launched a consultation on Environmental Principles and Governance aimed at considering how to maintain coherent and effective environmental governance once the UK leaves the EU.
Bristol residents challenged to achieve zero waste
Bristol residents challenged to achieve zero waste
By
Kate Dickinson
| 12 March 2019 |
The council-owned Bristol Waste Company has launched its #WasteNothing Challenge, asking 50 households to track their waste and recycling for a year.
Hot 100 2019 winner Cat Fletcher
Hot 100 2019: Reuse champion Cat Fletcher named as 2019’s Legend of Waste
By
Kate Dickinson
| 7 March 2019 |
The top 10 in Resource’s annual list of influencers, the Hot 100, has been announced, with Cat Fletcher, Reuse Manager at Brighton and Hove City Council and co-founder of reuse network Freegle, taking the top spot.
Hubbub to expand UK’s Community Fridge Network
Hubbub to expand UK’s Community Fridge Network
By Resource |
6 March 2019 |
The number of food waste-banishing Community Fridges around the UK is set to double to 100 with National Lottery funding.
Tesco and Jamie Oliver launch cookery school for food leftovers
By
Kate Dickinson
| 27 January 2019 |
Community cooks will receive lessons in how to best use surplus food from retailers as part of a new training programme from Tesco and food redistribution charity FareShare.
Cover of 'Turning the Tide on Plastic' by Lucy Siegle
Review: Turning the Tide on Plastic
By
Andy Moore
| 10 January 2019 |
Andy Moore finds a lot to recommend in the new book by Lucy Siegle, ‘Turning the Tide on Plastic’.
Cosmetics: A beautiful waste
Cosmetics: A beautiful waste
By
Kate Dickinson
| 3 January 2019 |
The use of cosmetics has become an indelible part of our everyday routines, and so too has the waste that comes with it. Just what is the extent of the beauty industry’s throwaway culture and can it be changed? Kate Dickinson investigates.
It’s time to vote for your Legends of Waste in this year’s Hot 100!
It’s time to vote for your Legends of Waste in this year’s Hot 100!
By
Rob Cole
| 20 December 2018 |
Who across the waste and resources world has done enough to etch their name into the pantheon of greats as this year’s Legend of Waste? You can tell us now by voting in this year’s Hot 100.
Carpet Recycling UK announces carpet waste landfill diversion rate increases to 42 per cent
Zero Waste Europe calls for carpet industry to go circular
By
Kate Nicholson
| 5 December 2018 |
Zero Waste Europe and supportive carpet producers are calling for the carpet industry to become a circular industry, by pushing for mandatory legislation across Europe.
UK businesses unite to turn waste into wealth
UK businesses unite to turn waste into wealth
By
Kate Nicholson
| 22 November 2018 |
The Waste to Wealth Summit brings together 200 leaders from government, business, academia and civil society roles, including HRH Prince Charles, to discuss how industries can tackle waste – or better yet, stop producing it altogether.