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Circular roundtable: How can businesses accelerate the resource revolution?
Sustainability and corporate responsibility managers from a range of businesses recently gathered in London for an exclusive roundtable hosted by edie and EDF Energy, to discuss how organisations are stepping up efforts to accelerate a circular economy.
Energy innovation: Delivering the smart grid of the future, today
The mission is clear: we must accelerate the shift to zero-carbon energy systems in order to slash emissions and mitigate global warming. But this mission IS possible: renewable energy costs are tumbling and new approaches to energy management such as battery storage and demand response are offering new ways for organisations to operate more sustainably.
Wake up and smell the coffee: our shared responsibility to manage food and drink packaging waste
As edie's Resource Management month draws to a close, circular economy experts Libby Sandbrook (BITC) and Debbie Hitchen (Anthesis) explore the challenges and opportunities behind two of the most talked-about packaging waste issues of our generation: coffee cups and plastic bottles.
HP pledges to make all printed pages 'forest positive'
HP will help customers transition to a low-carbon and resource-efficient future, after pledging that every page printed using an HP printer will be "forest positive".
Aldi targets plastic glitter phase-out by 2020
Supermarket chain Aldi has pledged to remove plastic glitter from 100% of its own-brand products by 2020, starting with its Halloween 2019 range.
UK's first nationwide recycling scheme for plastic six pack rings unveiled
Plastic six pack ring producer Hi-Cone has partnered with recycling firm TerraCycle to launch the UK's first national recycling scheme for the packaging.
Aldi removes plastic packaging from fresh vegetable lines
Aldi has removed the flexible plastic wrapping from five of its fresh vegetable lines in its Scottish stores, in a bid to explore consumer attitudes to loose produce.
Leon and Veolia partner to launch reverse-vending scheme in London
Restaurant chain Leon and waste management firm Veolia have collaborated to install a reverse vending machine at London King's Cross Station, in a bid to encourage consumers to recycle.
Walkers collects 500,000 crisp packets in recycling scheme
Walkers has posted the first update on its nationwide crisp packet recycling scheme, revealing that more than 500,000 packets have been collected since its launch in December 2018.
Nestlé's plastic-free pouches and James Bond's electric car: The sustainability success stories of the week
As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.
Business giants unveil new plastics pledges after joining global Ellen MacArthur Foundation commitment
A coalition of more than 150 businesses has revealed new pledges to reduce their plastics use and waste, after joining the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's new Global Commitment, which was launched late last year.
Europe's largest Coca-Cola bottler reveals progress on plastic reduction
Europe's largest independent Coca-Cola bottler used 27.6% recycled content in its plastic bottles last year - more than ten times the beverage sector's global average proportion of 2-3%.
Asda removes 6,500 tonnes of plastic from own-brand packaging
UK supermarket Asda has removed 6,500 tonnes of plastic from its own brand packaging over the last 12 months, the equivalent weight of around 600 million empty plastic bottles.
Lidl to trial removal of all plastic bags at Welsh stores
Plans have been announced by supermarket retailer Lidl to remove all 9p plastic bags from its stores in Wales.
KP launches national snack packaging recycle scheme
A national recycling scheme for prepacked nuts, popcorn, crisps and pretzels has been launched by KP Snacks.
Amazon launches box 'grouping' service to slash packaging and emissions
Online retailer Amazon has launched a service that enables customers to choose a set delivery day and 'group' their orders, which will help the company reduce its packaging footprint and optimise its delivery routes.
SC Johnson launches industry-first 100% ocean plastic bottle
Home cleaning product manufacturer SC Johnson has developed the industry's first plastic bottle made entirely from recycled ocean plastic for its Windex cleaning brand.
How employee engagement has pushed Henkel's sustainability ambitions to new heights
EXCLUSIVE: Henkel's decision to bolster its sustainable packaging strategy last year was largely driven by the ambitions of a workforce of 'sustainability ambassadors', the company's director of sustainability management has revealed.
Closed-loop solution for black plastics receives £800,000 Government backing
A project aimed at creating a solution for hard-to-recycle black plastic that places recycled content into food-grade packaging has been awarded £800,000 under the UK Government's Innovate UK grant scheme, in order to bring the technology to market.
Iceland removes plastic packaging from fresh produce lines in 'greengrocer' scheme
Supermarket Iceland is trialing the removal of plastic packaging from its fruit and vegetable lines at one of its largest UK stores, in a bid to gauge whether consumers are willing to buy loose produce.
Cross-party MPs back call for nationwide ban on single-use plastics by 2025
A group of MPs from across the political spectrum have given their backing to a new draft bill on plastic pollution, which calls for all "non-essential" single-use plastics to be banned across the UK by 2025.
Business giants team up to combat plastic pollution 'leaks'
Adidas, Dow Chemical Company and McDonald's are among the 18 big-name businesses to have co-founded a new alliance aimed at creating frameworks to measure, map and reduce plastic and microplastic pollution across the globe.
Hovis launches nationwide bread bag recycling scheme
British bread brand Hovis has announced a new partnership with recycling specialist TerraCycle to make it easier for its fully recyclable plastic bread bags to be correctly disposed of by households.
edie's Plastics Thinkathon results (Part One): The Lazy Lunch and shampoo bars
With businesses continuing to make plastic-reduction pledges in the face of ever-growing stakeholder pressure, edie recently hosted the world's first 'Plastics Thinkathon' to co-create scalable solutions to the issue. In this two-part feature, Sarah George reveals the potentially game-changing results.
All in or on-the-go?: Green economy reacts to Defra's deposit return scheme vision
The consultation on the UK's waste management process has sparked new debates on standardised waste collections and the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime. But the green economy wants to go "all in" on deposit return systems.
Government unveils deposit return scheme blueprints as part of waste management revamp
The UK Government has launched a 12-week consultation to explore how a "world-leading" tax on plastic packaging, standardised waste collections across the country and varying deposit return schemes for single-use items could overhaul and modernise the national waste management system.
Eurostar turns to phase-outs and recycled content to lower plastics footprint
High-speed rail service Eurostar will phase-out plastic water bottles from its business lounges during 2019, in a move that will reduce the organisation's plastics footprint by more than 100,000 bottles annually.
Carlsberg progressing towards carbon-neutral status
Onsite renewable arrays and low-carbon packaging innovations have helped Carlsberg to achieve a 20% reduction in its relative carbon emissions since 2015, as it strives to become a 'net-zero' carbon business by 2030.
Sustainability Leaders Awards 2019: Meet the Winners
Welcome to the winners report for the 2019 Sustainability Leaders Awards. Organised by edie, these awards recognise excellence across the spectrum of sustainable business; from the best efficiency programmes through to product innovation, from stakeholder engagement and CSR initiatives to the people making it happen.
Ben & Jerry's pledges to ban all single-use plastics by 2020
Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has pledged to remove all single-use plastic items and packaging from its products and stores by the end of 2020, replacing them with biodegradable or compostable alternatives.
Samsung to remove all virgin plastic from consumer-facing packaging
South Korean technology firm Samsung has pledged to phase out all virgin plastic components from its consumer-facing packaging lines within the first half of 2019.
SC Johnson and Ellen MacArthur Foundation partner to spur circular economy progress
US-based consumer goods firm SC Johnson has forged a new circular economy partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in a bid to scale-up closed-loop solutions to the global plastics pollution problem.
Thinkathons and Hackathons: How new ways of thinking could solve the plastics problem
With awareness of plastic pollution at an all-time high, the onus is now on corporates to harness young and creative minds in innovative ways to solve the issue. Could 'Hackathons' and 'Thinkathons' hold the key?
edie Explains: Demand response
Organisations with an interest in using demand response to manage energy use now have access to a new 'edie Explains' guide which breaks down all of the key information required to deploy the technology.
Available to watch on demand: edie's single-use plastics business transformation webinar
Sustainability professionals seeking insight on reducing and eliminating single-use plastics can now watch a free webinar that took place Thursday 17 January at 2pm, featuring expert speakers from A Plastic Planet, Sky and Cranswick.
edie opens applications for 'Plastics Thinkathon' at Sustainability Leaders Forum
Sustainability, energy and resource efficiency professionals are being called upon to help businesses collectively solve the problem of plastics pollution by taking part in a unique 'Plastics Thinkathon' on the sidelines of edie's Sustainability Leaders Forum in London next month.
Nestlé set to launch its first plastic-free packaging in 2019
Food and beverage giant Nestlé has published a sweeping string of new sustainable packaging commitments, including plans for its first plastic-free packaging, and achieving 'plastic-neutrality'.
A Plastic Planet: Businesses must do more than recycle to stay relevant
EXCLUSIVE: In an era of unprecedented consumer demand for plastic-free packaging and products, companies making their offerings recyclable are no longer doing enough - they must radically transform their business models to stay relevant and retain consumer trust.
Ocean Rescue: How Sky's plastics campaign has ignited a wave of transformation
EXCLUSIVE: Two years on from the launch of its global campaign to educate and inspire the public and businesses to phase-out single-use plastics, Sky's head of Sky Ocean Rescue Fiona Ball sits down with edie to discuss the transformational impacts the project has had both inside and outside of the company.
UK's first national recycling scheme launched for contact lenses
Consumer goods giant Johnson & Johnson has teamed up with Boots Opticians and recycling firm Terracycle to launch the first UK-wide recycling scheme for contact lenses and their packaging.
Lush to open UK's first plastic-free cosmetics store in Manchester
Health and beauty brand Lush has unveiled plans to open its first plastic-free shop in the UK this week, following the success of its 'naked' stores in Germany and Italy.
Crunch time for crisp makers as EU waste targets loom
The European Commission has set an EU-wide objective for all packaging to be recyclable or reusable by 2030. But crisp packets are a particular headache for policymakers and the recycling industry because they are so small and lightweight.
Swindon eyes up ground-breaking facility that recycles 'all plastic'
Swindon Borough Council has today (7 January) announced that it is working on plans to deliver an advanced recycling facility for practically all plastics, including crisp packets and plastic film.
Iceland collects more than 300,000 plastic bottles in reverse vending trial
Frozen food retailer Iceland has unveiled the results of its trial of an in-store deposit return scheme for plastic bottles, revealing that the scheme has captured more than 300,000 bottles since its launch in May 2018.
Sky and Cranswick confirmed for edie's single-use plastics webinar
edie is bringing together a selection of leading retailers, manufacturers and circular economy experts for a special one-hour webinar taking place on Thursday 17 January to discuss how business can collaborate, innovate and actuate to eliminate single-use plastics.
From puddings to packaging: Inside the UK's Christmas waste problem
It's the most wonderful time of the year - and also one of the most wasteful. With Christmas less than a week away, edie rounds-up some of the most shocking sustainability statistics of the festive season.
Major packaging reforms spearhead Resources and Waste Strategy
A huge overhaul of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system has been proposed today (18 December) in the Government's Resources & Waste Strategy, which also includes plans for separate household food waste collections and a nationwide deposit return scheme.
Ribena to launch lightweight bottles made from 100% recycled plastic
Soft drinks firm Lucozade Ribena Suntory (LRS) is set to launch a lightweight redesign of its Ribena bottles in the new year, in a bid to further reduce its plastic output.
Resources and Waste Strategy: Green business community reacts
In the newly-launched Resources and Waste Strategy, Defra has pledged to make producers pay for the full costs of recycling or disposing the packaging they produce. But how has this commitment, alongside the Strategy's other key measures, been met by members of the green community?
Plastics action, energy storage and climate warnings: The top sustainability stories of 2018
As 2018 draws to a close, the edie team reflects on the key stories which defined corporate sustainability and drove new levels of action in 2018.
Sugarcane shoes and silicon energy storage: The best green innovations of the week
A number of eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations have emerged that could help businesses and nations deliver on resource efficiency, low-carbon transitions and combat climate change. Here, edie rounds-up six of the best.
Danone partners with Ecosurety to reduce reliance on export packaging recovery notes
Consumer goods giant Danone's UK arm has partnered with waste compliance organisation Ecosurety in a bid to improve the nation's recycling infrastructure and boost transparency around its resource and waste management efforts.
Aldi switches to 100% recyclable pizza discs
Discount supermarket Aldi has introduced fully recyclable pizza discs across its entire range, as part of the supermarket's aim to ensure all own-label product packaging is 100% recyclable by 2022.
UK's first national crisp packet recycling scheme launched by Walkers
The UK’s largest crisp brand has this week launched a UK-wide crisp packet recycling scheme, after partnering with TerraCycle to develop a recycling solution for the packaging.
Confectionary giant strengthens packaging commitments
The snack manufacturing company behind brands such as McVitie's and Jacob's has today (7 December) joined WRAP's UK Plastics Pact, committing itself to making all plastic packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.
Mars seeking ‘industry-wide’ recycling solution after pet food packaging scheme launch
EXCLUSIVE: Consumer goods giant Mars is exploring the possibility of developing nationwide packaging takeback schemes for its food and drinks packaging, after successfully developing such a programme for its petfood pouches.
Coca-Cola European Partners inks deal to purchase 100% recycled PET
Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) has entered a supply agreement with Loop Industries to purchase 100% recycled PET (rPET) plastic to boost the use of recycled materials in its bottles.
Five ideas to accelerate your electric fleet transition
This report showcases the output of edie's SPARK! event, where roundtable participants shared experiences of electrification of business fleets, and discussed the steps that can be taken to accelerate adoption and maximise the benefits of the electric vehicle (EV) transition.
Costa launches reusable coffee cup with contactless payment technology
On-the-go food and drink giant Costa Coffee is stocking a reusable coffee cup with a contactless payment chip across its UK stores, in a bid to incentivise customers to reduce their takeaway cup consumption.
In numbers: The growing consumer demand for sustainable packaging
A new survey of 7,000 consumers across seven European markets garnering their views on plastic packaging, packaging recyclability and related green policies has been published. Here, edie rounds up the key facts and figures.
How are food and drink manufacturers adapting to Industry 4.0?
EXCLUSIVE: As the fruits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution continue to alter how businesses operate within society, how are some of the world's biggest food and drink manufacturing firms adapting, growing and using new technologies to minimise their environmental footprints?
Tetra Pak partners with Veolia to improve recyclability of beverage carton components
Packaging giant Tetra Pak has partnered with global resource and waste management firm Veolia to develop technologies and infrastructure that will enable all components of beverage cartons to be recycled within the European Union (EU).
Ball and PwC to feature in edie's Sustainability Leadership 'power hour' webinar
Sustainability experts from manufacturing firm Ball Beverage Packaging Europe and professional services firm PwC are set to appear on a free edie webinar to help sustainability professionals hit the ground running in 2019.
Business transparency needed to help consumers overcome the 'plastics fear'
Coca-Cola's new European sustainability director believes that honest and transparent conversations will help businesses change consumer perceptions on the use of plastics, which in turn will catalyse a movement towards a "world without waste".
Co-op commences plastic bag switch with compostable alternatives at 1,000 stores
The Co-op has kickstarted a phase out single-use plastic bags from more than 1,000 of its UK stores, replacing them with compostable alternatives.
Plastics Pact Roadmap unveiled as campaigners condemn high-street plastic action
A roadmap to help UK businesses tackle the global plastic waste problem has been published, on the same day that research has claimed that British supermarkets are still not doing enough to reduce their plastic footprint.
Retailers to pay up to £1bn for recycling under waste strategy
Supermarkets, retailers and major drinks brands are set to pay tens of millions of pounds more towards recycling their used packaging under the government's new waste strategy expected to be published this month, the Guardian understands.
University of Leeds unveils plan to become 'plastic-free' by 2023
The University of Leeds and Leeds University Union have pledged to eliminate all single-use plastic items, including coffee cups, disposable cutlery and straws, from their operations by 2023.
Princes stops using export packaging recovery notes
Food and drinks giant Princes has funnelled around £750,000 into projects improving the UK's recycling infrastructure since the start of 2018, after refusing to use export packaging recovery notes (PRNs).
Colgate to launch recycling scheme for oral health products
Health and beauty giant Colgate Palmolive has unveiled plans to launch a recycling scheme for empty toothpaste tubes, used toothbrushes and dental floss containers in the US and the UK.
SC Johnson boss: Business collaboration on plastic 'just the tip of the iceberg'
EXCLUSIVE: Consumer goods giant SC Johnson's boss has praised the ambition of the organisations to have pledged to tackle plastic packaging under a new Global Commitment, but has noted that behaviour change and closing the loop will help accelerate action.
Just Eat expands trials of seaweed-based sauce sachets to replace single-use plastics
Online food ordering firm Just Eat is expanding a trial of replacing single-use plastic sauce sachets with a seaweed-based alternative to 10 London restaurants for the next eight weeks.
Latte levy: Was the Chancellor right to reject a tax on disposable cups?
A major talking point of yesterday's Autumn Budget was the Chancellor's decision to rule out a latte levy on disposable cups. Here, edie investigates the extent to which such a proposal could have provided a much-needed boost to the UK's coffers and helped policymakers drive a resource-efficient economy.
PepsiCo to use 25% recycled content in plastics packaging by 2025
Beverage giant PepsiCo has revamped its approach to plastics by pledging to use 25% recycled content in plastic packaging by 2025 and working with suppliers and partners to advocate for improved recycling infrastructure and policy across the globe.
Business giants join Ellen MacArthur Foundation's global commitment to eradicate plastics pollution
Business giants, financial investors, non-profit organisations and national Governments have vowed to eradicate plastic waste and pollution, as part of a new Global Commitment spearheaded by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Kellogg unveils fresh packaging commitments for 2025
Food manufacturing firm Kellogg has unveiled a raft of new sustainable packaging commitments, including the introduction of easily recyclable cereal pouches and a recycling solution for Pringles cans.
PZ Cussons outlines plastics and palm oil goals
Healthcare and consumer goods manufacturer PZ Cussons has committed to reduce the amount of plastic it uses by 25% while also setting out an action plan to source all its palm oil from sustainable sources.
Unilever partners with Veolia to create circular economy for plastic packaging
Consumer goods giant Unilever has today (24 October) agreed a partnership with waste management Veolia, which will see the companies work together to develop innovative solutions to the plastic waste crisis.
HP and Ikea join commitment to create global supply chain for ocean-bound plastics
HP and Ikea have joined a business consortium committed to incorporating ocean-bound plastics in new packaging and product materials by developing the first global supply chain for plastics that are seeping into the oceans.
Sustainable mobility: A blueprint for business leadership
This edie insight report explores five of the most important areas of focus for sustainability professionals – from electric vehicles (EVs) and greener fleets, to smarter business travel.
Plastic recycling industry's problems costing councils up to £500,000 a year
Major problems in the plastic recycling industry are costing local councils in England up to £500,000 extra a year, as they struggle to deal with the continuing fallout from import bans imposed by countries who are no longer able to take the UK's waste.
UK plastics recycling industry under investigation for fraud and corruption
The plastics recycling industry is facing an investigation into suspected widespread abuse and fraud within the export system amid warnings the world is about to close the door on UK packaging waste, the Guardian has learned.
Waitrose trials bio-based alternative to black plastic
Waitrose & Partners is set to trial innovative, fibre-based packaging across its range of Italian ready meals as part of the supermarket group's commitment to eliminate black plastics from its own-brand products by 2019.
PepsiCo to launch range of 100% recycled plastic packaging by 2020
PepsiCo has this week unveiled plans to purchase 100% recycled plastic for some of its packaging lines by 2020, after the company was named by Greenpeace as one of the largest corporate plastic polluters in the world.
Walkers to launch UK's first crisp packet recycling scheme
The UK's biggest crisp brand Walkers has unveiled plans to launch a nationwide crisp packet recycling scheme, following months of consumer protests against its hard-to-recycle packaging.
Plastic-fighting bubbles and AI-powered bins: The best green innovations of the week
A number of eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations have emerged that could help businesses and nations accelerate the transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient economy. Here, edie rounds-up six of the best.
What we can learn from the BBC’s Drowning in Plastic documentary
This isn't a piece about plastics, or how businesses can and should be reducing their plastics footprint. But, the BBC's jaw-dropping and necessarily bleak investigation into the havoc that plastics are causing the environment does offer some potential learnings for a sustainability professional.
Why Co-op hasn't signed up to the UK Plastics Pact
EXCLUSIVE: The Co-op is one of the two major supermarkets yet to commit to WRAP's collaborative agreement to tackle single-use plastics, but the company's environment manager Iain Ferguson believes that an "enterprising" approach to innovation will enable the retailer to rethink approaches to packaging.
In numbers: the UK public's attitudes towards recycling
Last September, consultancy Britain Thinks surveyed more than 2,000 UK adults on attitudes across a spectrum of questions relating to packaging, recycling and the circular economy. With the survey results released on Friday (28 September), edie rounds-up the key findings.
Aldi continues phase-out of non-recyclable plastics
Discount supermarket Aldi is switching a range of its cooked meat from non-recyclable packaging to clear, recyclable alternatives in a move that is set to save more than 1,000 tonnes of plastic annually.
Tesco offers money for plastic bottles in reverse vending trials
Tesco has announced that it will trial in-store reverse vending machines for plastic bottles, as it calls on the UK Government to introduce a nation-wide approach to recycling.
Lucozade Ribena Suntory trials giant bottle-shaped bins to improve recycling
Soft drinks manufacturer Lucozade Ribena Suntory has announced a new partnership with facilities operator Sports and Leisure Management (SLM) to trial giant bottle-shaped recycling points at gyms and leisure centres in the UK.
Inside Unilever's plastics packaging strategy
EXCLUSIVE: Unilever's chief R&D officer David Blanchard has outlined the company's three-pillar approach to improving the recyclability of its product packaging, focusing on "less", "better" and "no plastics" solutions.
Co-op switches to compostable bags as it pledges to eliminate single-use plastics
The Co-op has revealed it will swap around 60 million plastic carrier bags with compostable alternatives that can be used as food waste caddy liners, as part of a wider goal to "remove" single-use plastics from its product offerings.
Lidl to stop using black plastic fruit and vegetable packaging
Lidl UK says it will remove black plastic from its entire fruit and vegetable range by the end of the month.
Sustainable Business Covered podcast: Snap packs, green dry-cleaning and SDG cities
Episode 49 of the Sustainable Business Covered podcast sees edie discuss plastic-free packaging with Carlsberg, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with Canary Wharf Group and features a whistle-stop tour of a new and ultra-green dry-cleaning facility in Watford.
UK Parliament to replace single-use plastic items with compostable alternatives
The UK Parliament will replace single-use plastic cutlery, coffee cups and lids, drinking straws and containers with compostable alternatives that will be treated at a specialist waste facility.
Report: Consumer demand for recycled packaging outpacing corporate action
More than half (55%) of the UK population believe that all plastic bottles should contain at least 50% recycled content, while the average proportion used by corporates currently stands at just 15%.
Lord Deben: Businesses must avoid 'knee-jerk' plastic phase-outs
Committee on Climate Change (CCC) chairman Lord Deben has urged companies to avoid making "knee-jerk" decisions on plastics packaging, warning that "reactionary" choices to consumer demands could lead to unintended environmental consequences.
Meet the Sustainability Leader: Sustainability Innovation: Standards, Systems & Software - HH Global
With entries for edie's revamped 2019 Sustainability Leaders Awards closing TODAY, this new feature series will showcase the achievements of the 2018 winners, revealing their secrets to success. Up next: our 2018 Sustainability Innovation: Standards, Systems & Software winner - HH Global.
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