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The Environmental Audit Committee has launched an inquiry into the impacts of coffee cups and plastics bottles

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.

Additional benefits of the deposit scheme were claimed to reach £1.2bn for the UK economy, according to studies

'Lack of political desire' biggest barrier to establishing UK bottle deposit scheme

EXCLUSIVE: The implementation of a deposit scheme for plastic bottles in the UK now hinges on "political desire" rather than technological barriers, the chief executive of solutions provider and reverse vending expert TOMRA has suggested.

The campaign is expected to reach 35m British residents by the end of 2017

Coca-Cola's new communications ad uses 1,500 pieces of recycled plastic

Coca-Cola has turned to stop-motion animation to launch a multi-million pound consumer awareness campaign to highlight the recyclability of its products, marking the first time the global drinks giant has issued a sustainability campaign in the UK.

edie's Luke Nicholls (centre) discussed sustainable packaging with The Body Shop's Simon Locke (left) and Chris Davis (right) at the University of Brighton

Sustainable Business Covered podcast: Designing for the future and adapting to global megatrends

The Body Shop heads back to its hometown of Brighton to host a sustainable design workshop, while the chief sustainability officer of United Technologies discusses how businesses are adapting to sustainability megatrends in this latest episode of the edie podcast.

Beverage cartons are easily recycled using a simple pulping process, where the paperboard and non-fibre layers are separated and turned into new materials

Kerbside drink carton collections up 16-fold in decade

The kerbside collection of beverage cartons for recycling has seen a 16-fold increase across local authorities in the past decade, according to new figures released this week.

Experts warn that some of it is already finding its way into the human food chain

Plastic pollution risks 'near permanent contamination of natural environment'

Humans have produced 8.3bn tonnes of plastic since the 1950s with the majority ending up in landfill or polluting the world's continents and oceans, according to a new report.

The Recycling Association contacted Pringles manufacturer Kellogg’s and was informed that developments are afoot to improve the recyclability of its product design

From villains to heroes: Are Pringles and Lucozade about to unveil more sustainable packaging?

EXCLUSIVE: Moves by Kellogg's and Lucozade to develop more sustainable packaging solutions for Pringles tubes and Lucozade Sport bottles would send out a "fantastic message" to other manufacturers, the chief executive of a recycling trade body has said.

More than 140 products including crisps and popcorn have been put in smaller, redesigned packets with reduced air pocket, but the same amount of food

M&S slashes plastic use in food packaging to cut waste

A major UK supermarket has slashed the amount of packaging used for its popular snacks such as crisps and popcorn by reducing the pocket of air at the top of the bag.

CCEP plans to double the amount of recycled plastic in each of its polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles to 50% in the next three years

Coca-Cola bottler vows to 'reform' Britain's recycling system with new packaging strategy

Bottling company Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) has today (12 July) unveiled a new packaging strategy for its Great Britain operations, which establishes collaborative partnerships to reform the nation's recycling systems and boost recycled content in its products to 50%.

CCEP continues to ensure that all of its packaging is recyclable

Coca-Cola European Partners closing in on 100% renewables target

Multinational bottling company Coca Cola European Partners (CCEP) has almost cut emissions in half over the past six years, as it closes in on a target to purchase 100% of its electricity from renewable sources.

Co-op environment manager Iain Ferguson spoke at the Resourcing the Future conference in London this week

Co-op urges waste sector to put pressure on retail recycling laggards

Britain's recycling system is suffering from a lack of coherence between the major players in the packaging and waste value chain, The Co-operative Food's environment manager has said.

HP’s director of global sustainability operations Kirstie McIntyre is keen to put customers front and centre of its business model transition

Customers at the heart of sustainable business model transition, says HP

EXCLUSIVE: Hewlett-Packard's (HP) push towards a circular economy and servitisation-based business model has seen the relationship between the IT company and its customers evolve from one based purely on transactions to a point where customer demand is now helping to advance closed-loop initiatives.

Until now, landfill or burning were the only options for disposing of MDF, but MDF Recovery has developed a novel, proprietary process to recover wood fibre from the material

Test bed: Scaling up a world-first recycling solution for MDF

edie investigates the green business potential of breakthrough technologies and innovations in this new series of 'test bed' case studies. First up: a look at a world-first solution that creates a secondary material from recycled MDF boards, generating zero waste in the process.

The Foundation’s $2m innovation prize was launched last week (18 May) in collaboration with the Prince of Wales's International Sustainability Unit

Ellen MacArthur: Businesses must collaborate to make circular economy mainstream

EXCLUSIVE: Businesses need to adopt a collaborative systems approach to packaging and product design that creates value for the vast amount of plastic that has seeped into the oceans, Dame Ellen MacArthur told edie.

Co-op has worked with scientific advisors to produce special packaging and vacuum packs that increase product shelf life

Co-op votes to make 100% of own-brand packaging recyclable

Co-op has pledged to make all of its own-brand packaging recyclable, in the same week as the head of food policy told edie the retailer is exploring the option to publicly release all of its food waste data.

Smurfit Kappa aims to remove all avoidable production waste by closing loops at an individual mill level

Smurfit Kappa celebrates 10 years of sustainability excellence

Paper-based packaging company Smurfit Kappa has celebrated a "decade of excellence" in sustainability achievements, which have placed the firm well on-track to supersede its 2020 target to slash emissions by a quarter.

As much as $80-120bn of plastic packaging material value is lost to the economy due to a linear, take-make-dispose value chain

Ellen MacArthur Foundation launches $2m innovation prize for ocean plastic solutions

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the Prince of Wales's International Sustainability Unit have today (18 May) launched a $2m innovation prize, calling on companies to create new ways of designing packaging that limits the amount of plastic polluting the oceans.

Megatrends: Exploring the future of sustainable business

This exclusive edie report explores the business impact of five key megatrends that are shaping the world we live in: climate change; technology and innovation; population growth and social change; urbanisation and smart cities; and economic growth.

The long-term commercial viability of the technology will be tested by Unilever at a pilot plant in Indonesia, a country which produces 64 million tonnes of waste every year

Unilever breakthrough technology set to tackle plastic sachet waste

Consumer goods giant Unilever has today (11 May) unveiled a breakthrough technology which aims to address the systemic global issue of multilayer plastic sachet waste.

Energy Transitions Commission: Better energy, greater prosperity

The Energy Transitions Commission’s flagship report sets out achievable pathways to limit global warming to well below 2C while stimulating economic development and social progress.

edie explains: ISO 20400

This edie explains business guide, produced in association with edie's supporting partners Action Sustainability and BSI, provides an in- depth summary of the new ISO 20400 Standard which is the world's first international standard for sustainable procurement

Women's Institute urges supermarkets to do more to cut food waste

The Women's Institute is urging supermarkets to do more to help consumers reduce their domestic food waste, after a survey of its own membership revealed widespread confusion about "best before" and "use by" labelling on packaging.

In practice: GSK funds UK's first carbon-neutral laboratory

Designed for Nottingham University and built by engineering firm AECOM, the new GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Carbon Neutral Laboratories for Sustainable Chemistry project is a world-first, earning the highest certifications under the BREEAM and LEED standards and driving impressive savings.

Planning for a circular economy

The Environmental Services Association, the voice of the UK’s resource and waste management industry, has set out a number of recommendations to more closely align the planning system with the strategic objectives of the circular economy.

Mars' Adrian Greet and Paul Crewe of Sainsbury's were joined in the panel by WRI's Kevin Moss and OLIO co-founder Saasha Celestial-One

Mars and Sainsbury's look to packaging to reduce consumer food waste

New technologies and improved dialogue with consumers has seen brands and retailers turn to packaging in order to reduce food waste, although companies still need to dispel myths that packaging is "evil".

Britvic prototype bottles. The packaging innovation forms part of the FTSE 250 firm's £240m supply chain investment programme

Britvic develops sustainable wood fibre bottle

Major soft drinks firm Britvic has made major strides in its bid to develop a viable bottle from sustainable wood fibres, the company's latest sustainability report has claimed.

Closed-loop crusaders: edie has identified six new battlegrounds that should brace themselves for the next War on Waste

Battle cry: Where should the War on Waste go next?

With edie's month of editorial content tailored to resource efficiency now in full swing, we highlight six areas where the influential 'War on Waste' circular economy campaign series should head next.

Greenpeace is calling on companies to take “drastic action” to phase out single-use plastic. Photo: Greenpeace UK

Greenpeace slams 'jaw-dropping' inaction on marine pollution from soft drinks firms

A new Greenpeace UK report has condemned the "woeful lack of action" by the soft drinks industry to prevent ocean plastic pollution, as figures show the world's top six brands use a combined average of just 6.6% recycled plastic in their bottles.

APP is now entering its fifth year of exclusively sourcing fibre generated from “responsibly managed plantations” throughout its supply chain

Asia Pulp & Paper advances forest conservation initiatives

One of the biggest pulp, paper and packaging firms has taken strides to cease all natural forest clearances within its suppliers and operations and promote best practice working standards for peatland management in Indonesia.

The checklist covers practical guidance for firms to enhance resource efficiency at all stages of the packaging value chain, including transportation and end of life

Business encouraged to go 'above and beyond' packaging legislation through new checklist

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and the Industry Council for research on Packaging and the Environment (INCPEN) have partnered together to launch a new "sustainability checklist" to help companies optimise their packaging systems.

The Committee is calling in businesses to provide evidence on how the public and private sector can work to introduce policies that reduce waste and increase awareness among the public

MPs probe circular economy progress on plastic bottles and coffee cups

The war on packaging waste has entered Westminster this week as MPs have launched a fresh inquiry into the environmental impact of plastic bottle and coffee cup waste.

The firms will aim to introduce 5,000 metric tonnes of bio-based plastic to the global market

Danone and Nestlé Waters pursue 100% bio-based plastic bottle rollout

Multi-national food company Danone has teamed up with the bottled water division of the Nestlé Group and a Californian start-up company to launch a new alliance aimed at commercialising 100% bio-based plastic bottles.

The new trays will consist of 25% ocean waste and 75% HDPE plastics to enhance the recyclability of the products. Image Dell

Dell delivers tech industry's first ocean plastic packaging

Computer firm Dell has achieved a new first for the technology industry, after converting waste plastic found on beaches and in waterways into new packaging for one of its laptop products.

A CocaCola spokeswoman said the company’s polling had found majority support for a deposit return scheme across the UK

Green campaigners welcome Coca-Cola U-turn on bottle and can recycling scheme

Coca-Cola has announced it supports testing a deposit return service for drinks cans and bottles, in a major coup for environment and anti-waste campaigners.

Retail ready packaging from Smurfit Kappa, which has strict sourcing policies for its virgin and recovered fibres

Smurfit Kappa hits certification goal for sustainably-sourced packaging

Global paper-based packaging firm Smurfit Kappa has completed its goal of ensuring that 90% of all packaging sold to consumers is Chain of Custody certified, demonstrating full-transparency and a willingness to source from verified certification systems.

In future, other Ikea products such as the REINSVOLL wardrobe doors, set to launch in August 2017, will feature the recyclable foil

Ikea launches kitchen range made from recycled plastic bottles

The world's biggest furniture retailer Ikea has launched a new range of kitchen fronts made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles and reclaimed wood, eliminating the need for virgin oil-based plastics in the range.

Carbon fibre composite, a combination of carbon fibres and a polymer matrix, is growing rapidly in transport and renewable energy applications

How can we deliver a circular economy for novel materials?

The UK Government must embed circular economy thinking within its industrial strategy and place a particular focus on encouraging the recycling and recovery of 'novel' materials such as bioplastics and carbon fibre, a new report has claimed.

Despite a 16% growth in production since 2010, the firm has worked with suppliers to cut emissions by 15% in the same timeframe

Tetra Pak commits to science-based emissions target

Swedish food processing and packaging company Tetra Pak has today (2 February) pledged to reduce emissions by 58% through a partnership with the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBT).

Sky's coverage of ocean plastic waste was bolstered by the views of Sir Richard Branson, Ben Fogle, astronaut Tim Peake and Sir Ben Ainslie

#OceanRescue: Sky drives engagement on ocean plastic waste through new social campaign

Broadcasting company Sky has turned to social media to increase awareness of the "major challenge" of plastic waste in the oceans, using celebrities and behaviour change tips as levers to inspire and educate consumers.

MEPs in Brussels voted to restore the lowered targets to the level of the original proposal

MEPs bolster EU recycling and landfill targets

Members of the European Parliament's Environment Committee yesterday (24 January) moved to increase draft EU recycling and landfill targets that had been lowered by the European Commission in its re-tabled Circular Economy Package.

P&G's new circular economy project will require a supply of 2,600 tons of PCR plastic every year – the same weight as eight fully loaded Boeing 747 jumbo jets

P&G develops world's first recyclable shampoo bottle made from beach plastic

The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) has today (19 January) announced that it will be mass-producing the world's first recyclable shampoo bottle made from up to 25% post-consumer recycled (PCR) beach plastic.

Unilever last year achieved its commitment of sending zero non-hazardous waste to landfill across its manufacturing operations. Photo: unilever.co.uk

Unilever commits to 100% recyclable plastic packaging by 2025

On the same day that the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) unveiled a business-backed action plan to crack down on plastic waste, global consumer goods giant Unilever has made a bold new pledge to ensure that 100% of its plastic packaging is fully re-usable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.

The ESA aims put evidence in front of Defra to make extended producer responsibility (EPR) a centrepiece of the department’s proposed 25-year plan

New year, new direction: ESA chairman Stewart Davies outlines circular economy prospects for 2017

In an exclusive interview for an upcoming episode of the Sustainable Business Covered podcast, edie sits down with Stewart Davies, the new chairman of the Environmental Services Association (ESA), to discuss his thoughts on the year ahead for nation's circular economy progress.

Despite the achievements of the signatories to significantly reduce waste levels, progress to reduce household food waste at a UK level has stalled

Courtald Commitment saves major UK brands £100m of food waste

UK retailers and manufacturers have generated an estimated £100m in food waste savings over a three-year period as part of WRAP's Courtauld Commitment Phase 3, new figures released today (10 January) reveal.

The reCup is expected to be sold in the UK at a cost comparable with traditional paper cups

'Game-changing' coffee cup project to provide retailers with cost-effective recycling service

The UK could be set for a coffee cup recycling revolution as British paper cup recycler Simply Cups has thrown its weight behind a project that provides businesses and consumers with a cup that can be recycled at traditional paper mills.

Poor recycling methods over the recent Christmas period is estimated to have cost councils £72m - made up of £63m packaging waste costs and £9m food waste costs

'Dysfunctional' circular economy system leads to £72m Christmas waste costs

England needs a more consistent recycling system that works for all companies and is fairer to local authorities, according to a new business-led report which reveals that waste packaging and food leftovers from the Christmas period will have cost councils £72m.

Instead of gold, frankincense and myrrh, edie has gifted to you some interesting sustainability facts about Christmas that you might not be aware of

Christmas and sustainability: Mistletoe and wine or chalk and cheese?

Christmas is just days away and as Santa's reindeers limber up for the big night, edie rounds-up some of the hidden sustainability stories of Christmas that you probably didn't know about.

Ecosurety believes the UK must be a part of any discussions on design parameters if it wants to avoid facing fragmented compliance requirements for exported products post-Brexit

UK packaging producers warned of mounting costs from EU fees disparity

The growing trend of European countries implementing differentiated fees based on eco-design and recyclability criteria could result in higher payments for British packaging producers with compliance obligations outside the UK, according to resource efficiency specialist Ecosurety.

Recycling is primarily the responsibility of local authorities, which have suffered dramatic, austerity-driven budget cuts during the years when recycling rates have stalled and now declined

Recycling rates in England drop for first time

Recycling rates in England have fallen for the first time ever, prompting calls for a tax on packaging and meaning EU targets are now almost certain to be missed.

10 top tips to move from compliance to competitive edge on energy management

The energy efficiency path can be a long and winding road for businesses, but cutting through it can prove invaluable for long-term success.

Alongside offering the 'sustainable life at home' product line, Ikea now offers residential solar arrays to consumers in three countries

Ikea nears three-fold increase in sustainable product sales

The world's biggest furniture retailer Ikea has almost trebled the sales from its 'sustainable life at home' products, while also announcing a new €1bn financial framework to promote projects that fall within its People & Planet sustainability strategy.

The organisation will support the new goals but urges the Government to introduce “stretching but realistic” targets in future

Defra's 'unambitious' aluminium recycling targets challenged

The Government's new packaging recycling business targets for 2018-20 do not reflect the sector's high ambitions to maximise recovery and recycling of the material, according to the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro).

Almost half of all plastic waste in the EU is still landfilled, reflecting an urgent need for more bio-based innovations to drive a new plastics economy

Bioplastics industry continues to expand despite low oil prices

The bioplastics industry is continuing to see stable growth despite falling oil prices, representing a positive shift in business attitudes towards manufacturing low-carbon, resource-efficient products. and a lack of stronger political support to realise the potential of bio-based materials in Europe.

The rollout of new recycling bins in Starbucks stores will also apply to any paper coffee cups from competitors

Starbucks follows Costa with in-store coffee cup recycling bins

Coffee giant Starbucks has announced the launch of a new in-store paper cup recycling bin aimed at encouraging customers to return take-way cups back into the store and boost overall recycling levels.

Some retailers are beginning to turn their backs on the Black Friday craze as a means to protect the environment

Black Friday: Five ways businesses are promoting sustainable shopping during the frenzy

Black Friday and its tech-savvy sibling Cyber Monday look set to send the retail sphere into a frenzy. But with consumers beginning to align to companies with sustainability credentials, will this year's shopping spree spare a thought for the environment?

The report by Co-op calls for fellow retailers to develop more easily recycled packaging and better labelling solutions for recyclable products

Two-thirds of Britain's recyclable plastic packaging is not being recycled, finds Co-op

The majority of all recyclable consumer packaging in the UK ends up in landfill or being sent to incineration, with only a third being recycled or re-used as intended, according to new research from food retailer The Co-operative Group (Co-op).

INFOGRAPHIC: Energy efficiency benchmarking survey

edie, in association with E.ON, conducted a survey with selected readers responsible for energy management, asking them to identify the energy efficiency activity they had already completed or had underway.

Carlsberg is no stranger to working with smaller companies and start-ups in order to strengthen its own circular economy credentials

Carlsberg: Business-led circular economy can thrive without regulators

EXCLUSIVE: The private sector has the "agility" to push the circular economy agenda without the need for government intervention, by incentivising innovators and disruptive start-ups to produce closed-loop products that appeal to wider audiences and push out unsustainable alternatives.

C2C forms the basis of the company’s Carlsberg Circular Community (CCC) initiative, that partners with suppliers to develop products that are optimised for recycling and reuse

Carlsberg obtains circular economy certification for Kronenbourg glass bottles

Global beverage company Carlsberg has become the first company in the world to be accredited with a Cradle-to-Cradle (C2C) bronze certification for a glass beverage packaging.

The process of controlling or limiting the choices available to consumers could be an important next step for the circular economy

Choice editing: a crucial next step for the circular economy?

Manufacturers and retailers should go beyond using persuasion techniques to encourage resource-efficient behaviours towards the process of 'choice editing', where hard-to-recycle products are removed from shelves or certain materials are eliminated from packaging in order to limit consumer choices around the circular economy.

Beyond creating a 'nice story' as part of a company’s CSR commitments, what is the business case for not just investigating water security, but actually improving it?

Liquid assets: Strengthening the business case for water management

With global water supplies running dry at an alarming rate, edie's Matt Mace hears from some of the private sector's leading lights on tackling water scarcity to uncover the business case that lies beneath the surface.

According to Szaky, consumers are purchasing around ten times more stuff compared to 100 years ago, the majority of which is “voluntary consumerism”

TerraCycle: Recycling won't solve the waste dilemma, but consumers can

Improving economic incentives behind waste collection models and a "silent revolution" in how consumers interact with products will be essential in tackling "monumental environmental crises", all of which can be linked back to waste.

Under Ambition 2025, FDF will develop a comprehensive online signposting tool to guide members in integrating sustainable sourcing into their supply chains

Food manufacturers unveil 2025 targets to deliver 'sustainable food system of the future'

McCain Foods, Cadbury, Coca-Cola GB and McVitie's are among a host of British food and drink manufacturers that have developed a series of ambitious new sustainability commitments this week.

WRAP's National Recycling Guidelines

Following extensive consultation with the recycling industry, WRAP has developed a list of items that can and cannot be recycled, along with how they should be presented by householders. This document outlines how and why the recycling guidelines have been developed, including a summary of results from consumer testing. 

The paper calls on the Government to “consider in some detail” the role that EPR can play in tackling the UK’s litter problem as part of its upcoming Litter Strategy

The litter levy: Should brands take more responsibility for the UK's waste woes?

Brands such as McDonald's, Coca Cola, Costa Coffee and Wrigley should strive to become a "big part of the solution" to the amount of litter plaguing UK streets, by working with the Government to implement an Extended Produce Responsibility (EPR) scheme.

The partnership will produce new recycling solutions for previously unrecyclable waste for businesses and local authorities

Suez and TerraCycle to boost waste management for 'tricky-to-recycle' products

Pens, coffee packaging and protective disposable gloves could soon be subjected to innovative new recycling techniques, after waste management firm Suez announced a new partnership with developers TerraCycle, a company renown for treating hard-to-recycle materials.

The company recently announced ambitions to deliver more than 100 million packs of 100% recyclable, bio-based cartons to customers during 2016

Tetra Pak cuts emissions during period of growth

Despite the number of packages sold rising by 16% over the last 12 months, Swedish food processing and packaging company Tetra Pak has revealed that emissions have tumbled as it closes in on its 2020 climate goals.

edie took a behind-the-scenes tour of a paper mill owned and run by Smurfit Kappa, one of the world’s largest paper-based packaging businesses

The story of Roermond: How Smurfit Kappa is making the circular economy a reality

Packaging giant Smurfit Kappa invites edie on a behind-the-scenes tour of its pioneering zero-waste paper mill in the Netherlands, which stands as an exemplar of the firm's global circular economy ambitions.

The platform marks the first time that UK companies governed by Producer Responsibility Obligation Regulations are given transparent knowledge on investment

Ecosurety adopts 'network creator' mantle to launch Circularety waste investment platform

Resource efficiency specialist Ecosurety has today (28 September) introduced a new "revolutionary" platform that uses money generated from issuing waste recycling compliance documents to fund transparent projects that aid the waste and recycling industry.

More than 11 million tonnes of materials could be diverted from disposal increasing England’s recycling rate by 7% by the year 2025 if the new framework is adopted.

Could this new industry framework reinvigorate England's recycling rates?

England would see a much-needed increase in recycling, an improvement in the quality of recycled materials and a more comprehensive waste management service for households if a new, collaborative industry framework is adopted, WRAP has claimed.

England's recycling rate has been on the decline since 2012/13, falling by 0.7% to 44.3% for the 12 months to June 2015

Consistency and co-operation key to boost national recycling rates, surveys reveal

With today marking the launch of Recycle Week 2016 (12-18 September), two new public surveys have highlighted the need for greater standardisation and co-operation between retailers and policymakers to improve the UK's recycling performance.

The Co-op has signed up to the PIRAP scheme which takes a collaborative approach to meeting the Government's plastic packaging targets

Co-op calls on retailers to 'move with us' on plastics recycling action plan

The Co-op has become the first retailer to sign up to the 'Plastic Industry Recycling Action Plan (PIRAP), and is calling on other retailers to follow suit.

Apple has removed the universal 3.5mm headphone jack from its new smartphones, with AirPod earphones and a Lightning-to-analogue adapter included with the iPhone 7

Greening the Apple: How sustainable is the new iPhone 7?

It features a longer battery life, is more energy-efficient, and a waterproof design will prevent damaged products going straight to landfill. But the ditching of the headphone jack could itself open up an e-waste black hole. So just how sustainable is Apple's new iPhone 7?

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) fish boxes are widely used by the seafood industry for transporting produce to restaurants

Polystyrene packaging debate hots up as industry rejects chefs' claims

A recent call from a group of top chefs for policymakers to ban the use of polystyrene packaging in London has been condemned by the Food Packaging Association (FPA) and other waste management experts.

The alliance suggests that Internal Market protections would prevent the need for national reduction quotas or national bans for certain packaging types

Packaging industry urges EU to reinforce circular economy proposals

The European Union (EU) has been urged to establish a long-term ambitious policy framework to ensure that the circular economy package preserves sustainable growth and enshrines a full life-cycle approach, in a list of policy recommendations set by 36 packaging value chain industry associations.

More than a million people are expected to visit Notting Hill Carnival over the Bank Holiday weekend. Photo: Notting Hill Carnival/Facebook

Carnival clean-up: Notting Hill waste to generate 100MWh of electricity

Westminster City Council is planning to collect all of the waste from Notting Hill Carnival and use it to generate electricity for the National Grid - all in time to have the streets clean for the Tuesday morning commute.

Polystyrene is ingested by fish, which makes the issue a particular concern to chef Ed Baines, who runs a seafood restaurant in Soho

Army of chefs wage war on polystyrene waste in London

Britain's 'war on waste' has seemingly taken a turn from paper to polystyrene cups as a selection of top chefs - including Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - have sent a letter to London Mayor Sadiq Khan calling for a city-wide ban on non-biodegradable polystyrene packaging.

A full-scale production facility for the new polymer is being built in Hollymoor Point in Rubery, Birmingham, and is due to open in 2017. Photo: Aquapak Polymers

Could a '100% recyclable' polymer drive the new plastics economy?

The developers of a packaging polymer that is both 100% recyclable and 100% biodegradable in standard waste management facilities claim the new material could help to create a much-needed circular economy for plastic packaging.

The company claims that the new compound will perform “equal to or exceeding that” of virgin resins and around 20 kilotonnes will be integrate into packaging streams by 2017

Chemicals giant launches new circular economy packaging using recycled waste

Refinery and chemicals giant Total has launched a new range of recyclable polymer packaging made from at least 25% recycled household waste from Western Europe, as part of the companies pledge to embed closed-loop models in its production phase.

Currently, Bournemouth recycles more than 1,842 tonnes of plastic packaging to be made into new bottles, furniture and clothing

Bournemouth set to create world's largest 'work of art' from recycled plastic

Residents of Bournemouth will receive an opportunity to set a new world record during the upcoming Air Festival weekend (18-21 August), after the council signed up to a plastics recycling campaign to make the largest work of art made from recycled plastic packaging.

Colin Church will be taking over from Steve Lee as CIWM's new chief executive in the Autumn. Photo: CIWM

Former Defra director announced as new CIWM chief executive

The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) has announced today (1 August) that the ex-director of environmental quality at Defra, Colin Church, will be replacing outgoing chief executive Steve Lee in October.

Tesco has developed its own circular economy solution to turn its back-of-store plastic waste into plastic bags

Carrier bag charge sees usage plummet by 6.5 billion

The number of plastic shopping bags handed out by retailers in England has dropped from seven billion to just over half a billion within six months, following the introduction of the 5p carrier bag charge last October.

The 100% recyclable pasta boxes, which will cost £1.99 as part of the Waitrose LoveLife range, will go on sale on Monday (1 August)

Waitrose cooks up new food waste packaging for pasta range

Waitrose has announced it will become the first supermarket in the UK to launch to new pasta ranges where the packaging is made, in part, from waste food produce.

edie has pulled together a green innovation extravaganza, bringing you seven sustainability solutions that could all serve a purpose in ending the war on waste

Recyclable coffee cups and mushroom packaging: 7 innovations that could win the war on waste

In a week that sees the recyclability of coffee cups and cardboard packaging come under scrutiny in Hugh's War on Waste, edie rounds up the potential technologies and solutions that Britain's retailers could be exploring to make 'waste' a word of the past.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall heads out in his ‘battle bus’ to raise the issue of coffee cup recycling to the public, claiming less than 1% of discarded cups are actually recycled

Hugh's War on Waste: The battle continues with coffee cup recycling in the spotlight

Celebrity chef-turned-eco-warrior Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is reigniting his 'War on Waste' TV series this week, with attention shifting from food waste to coffee cup recycling.

The Frugalpac cup can be recycled in normal paper mills and independent inspections Intertek has found that the cup’s carbon footprint is around half that of traditional coffee cups

Starbucks tests (genuinely) recyclable coffee cup

Starbucks is "very interested" in the potential outcome of a new collaborative partnership with sustainable packaging company FrugalPac, which will see the coffee shop chain trial a recyclable coffee cup made from 100% paper.

Delphis Eco’s chief executive Mark Jankovich noted that products are shipped in concentrate form to reduce transport and carbon miles

New plant-based cleaning products slash emissions at Rendall and Rittner

Residential managing agent Rendall and Rittner has revealed it is using new plant-based cleaning solutions across its 44,000 London units as a way to reduce product use, lower emissions and improve financial savings.

Earthwards recognition is reserved for the company’s most improved products, which must achieve three significant improvements across seven impact areas

Heading Earthwards: Johnson & Johnson dives deep to green up healthcare

It's widely recognised that the healthcare sector has a large and costly environmental footprint. Hospitals in particular account for some of the most energy-intensive facilities, yet many traditionally have been slow to embrace resource efficiency. A study by the University of Chicago found that the industry stands to save up to $15bn over 10 years by adopting more sustainable practices - it's an opportunity that hasn't gone unnoticed by Johnson & Johnson (J&J), the world's sixth-largest consumer health company.

The Business End of Climate Change

In the first edition of this study, researchers look at five initiatives that companies have joined to limit climate change: Science Based Targets, EP100, RE100, Zero Deforestation and the Low Carbon Technology Partnership initiative (LCTPi).

Securing healthy returns

The NHS, social care, and public health system face challenging times to ensure the investments we make have the best possible outcomes for current and future generations.

The report suggests that the prioritisation of waste or secondary materials seems to be largely driven by European Union (EU) legislation

Most European countries see construction as circular economy priority, report reveals

The majority of European countries have identified plastic and packaging, construction and demolition waste and food waste as key priority materials that need to be focused on in the transition to a circular economy, according to a new assessment from the European Environment Agency (EEA).

Through Plan A, M&S has phased out hard-to-recycle PVC and polystyrene from its products and packaging, and ships 98% of its products from in reusable packaging crates

'Ahead of the curve': Why M&S wants to collaborate to innovate on sustainable packaging

EXCLUSIVE: Marks & Spencer (M&S) wants to be 'ahead of the curve' when it comes to applying circular economy principles to plastic packaging and therefore developing more sustainable, collaborative supply chains within the retail industry.

CCE, which made its first ever appearance on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index last September, also made in-roads in its renewable energy sourcing target

Coca-Cola Enterprises closes in on 2020 footprint reduction targets

Soft-drinks bottlers Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) is celebrating its 10-year sustainability journey by revealing wholesale reductions in carbon emissions, packaging use and water consumption, as the company strides towards its 2020 targets.

Improved machine cycles have enhanced glass production and durability to the point where Encirc no longer needs to use the plastic shrouds that prevent bottles being damaged

How Encirc is smashing the glass ceiling of supply chain sustainability

As businesses begin to look beyond the 'low-hanging fruit' of on-site sustainability solutions, a growing number of firms are turning their attentions to supply chain management as a way of reducing emissions and environmental footprints even further.

(L-R): Simon Evans (awards presenter); Alan Davey (LINPAC Packaging); and Jane Bickerstaffe (INCPEN - judge) at the 2015 edie Sustainability Leaders Awards last Novemeber

edie Sustainability Leader to represent UK at EU awards

edie Sustainability Leaders Award-winner LINPAC Packaging has been selected as a UK finalist for the prestigous 2016 European Business Awards for the Environment (EBAE).

Armies powered by sugar, washing machines powered by exercise and smartphones powered by the sun all feature this week's green innovation round-up

Solar smartphone screens and edible packaging: the best green innovations of the week

After a week that saw the steel industry reach crisis point, edie rounds up the latest low-carbon technologies and innovations that show that, in spite of the potential death of a bastion of the industrial revolution, entrepreneurs from across the globe are accelerating the green revolution.

The rules, subject to approval by the Parliament and the Council of Ministers, are a first step to adapting the economy to a future of finite resources and a booming population

EU vows tough enforcement of circular economy package

The circular economy package of waste and recycling laws will be backed by tougher European Commission enforcement than seen under previous administrations, an official yesterday (5 April) told plastic industry delegates.

RB has remained dedicated in its commitment to developing innovative products and technologies that require less energy and produce fewer emissions

RB exceeds waste reductions targets as emissions lag

Health and hygiene company RB, which owns brands including Durex, Calgon and Gaviscon, has revealed it has reached its waste management goals five years early, although improvement on carbon reductions is still needed.

Tetra Pak hopes the CE100 will unlock more paths to a circular economy and its 2020 goals

Tetra Pak joins Circular Economy 100 to accelerate closed-loop transition

Food processing and packaging company Tetra Pak has announced that it has become a corporate member of the Circular Economy 100 (CE100), the innovation platform launched by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to accelerate circular economy ambitions.

Around 891,000 tonnes of the 2.2m tonnes of plastic packaging produced annually in the UK was recycled in 2015

Defra relaxes plastic packaging targets 'to reduce burden on businesses'

The Government has announced plans to relax statutory plastic packaging recycling targets in an apparent attempt to 'reduce the burden' on business, with research showing that, despite 'significant increases' in recycling, the industry could struggle to hit 2020 targets.