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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.
Nestlé reduces plastic from cereal packaging and rolls out paper Smarties packs worldwide
Well-known cereal brands including Cheerios, Shreddies and Shredded Wheat are set to reduce the amount of plastic used in packaging by more than 600 tonnes annually, while Nestlé's Smarties brand is also switching to recyclable paper packaging worldwide.
Paper or plastic? How to make the most sustainable packaging choices
The EU tax on plastic packaging waste, implemented on 1 January 2021, has again brought to the fore the debate about what is the most sustainable packaging material.
UK Government faces fresh accusations of backtracking on post-Brexit environment pledges
MPs and Lords, including former Shadow Environment Secretary Lord Clark, are urging the Government to prove that it won't export low-quality plastics to developing nations for recycling, arguing that policy loopholes currently exist.
Heinz removes plastics from canned product packaging
Heinz is replacing plastic shrink-wrap packaging across its multipack canned products for sustainably certified paperboard, a move which will reduce the company's plastics footprint by 550 tonnes.
Tennent's invests £7m to remove plastic packaging from beer cans
Scottish brewer Tennent's is investing £7m into new packaging technology at its Glasgow-based brewery which will remove more than 100 million plastic rings from its lager can packs by 2022.
Report: UK could recycle three times as much plastic by 2030
The UK could recycle 3.5 times as much plastic in 2030 as it did in 2019, if the government works with the private and public sectors to accelerate investment in collection and processing infrastructure.
#SustyTalk: Suntory Beverage & Food's Michelle Norman on net-zero, plastics and the green recovery
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I's Michelle Norman revisiting the company's key climate and plastics milestones from 2020 and looking ahead to what this year will hold for corporate sustainability.
BBC to outline net-zero target for 2030
The BBC's director-general Tim Davie has outlined ambitions to staff for the broadcaster to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030, with further details expected later in the year.
Beefeater removes plastic from new bottle range
Beefeater has launched a new 100% recyclable bottle, featuring paper labels and an aluminium cap that will be rolled out globally across its range of gins this month.
Banks 'have provided $1.7trn of unconditional support to plastic polluters since 2015'
Global banks have been accused of collectively providing more than $1.7trn to businesses across the plastics value chain between 2015 and 2019, largely without attaching environmental conditions to support packages.
IBM to launch new data platform to map plastics waste
IBM has partnered with the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) on a new data platform to help track plastic waste and recovery globally.
WRAP: UK's biggest businesses have cut unnecessary plastic packaging by 40%
Businesses signed up to WRAP's UK Plastics Pact, which is supported by the likes of Unilever, Nestle and PepsiCo, collectively produced 40% fewer non-recyclable and unnecessary pieces of plastic packaging this year than in 2018.
Business leaders and politicians call for ban on non-food plastic sachets
Businesses, academics and politicians have united to call for urgent action to eliminate the use of non-food plastic sachets, warning that the world is set to consumer one trillion of them by 2030.
UK to support 'Paris Agreement on plastics'
The UK Minister for Pacific and the Environment, Zac Goldsmith, has revealed that the UK is willing to discuss a new global treaty to tackle plastics pollution, which has been supported by more than two-thirds of UN member states.
The Great Reinvention: Cracking the code for circular economy business model innovation
After participating in edie's 'Business Model Innovation' open roundtable at Net-Zero Live earlier this month, sustainable business expert and commentator Mike Townsend explores four key shifts in search of the 'holy grail' - how we can transition to circular business models that are sustainable and profitable, yet also attractive for customers and suppliers.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation: Refillable packaging still accounts for just 2% of the market
Despite a swathe of successful pilot projects for plastic-free, refillable products, just 2% of the products sold by the world's biggest consumer goods firms this year came in reusable packaging.
Plastic promises and the crisis of corporate accountability
The top 10 plastic polluters that we analysed have a joint plastic footprint of almost 10 million tonnes a year - the equivalent of 30-times the weight of the Empire State Building. Last week we sent them open letters asking them to publicly support legislation and finally take meaningful action to tackle the plastic crisis they are complicit in creating.
Gillette to halve virgin plastic use and emissions by 2030
Personal care brand Gillette has committed to halving the amount of virgin, fossil-based plastics it uses by 2030 and to halve its absolute emissions within the same timeframe.
Unilever expects to double use of recycled plastics in next 12 months
Unilever has confirmed that 10% of its plastic footprint now consists of post-consumer recycled plastic (PCR), as the company pushes ahead to meet a target of halving the use of virgin plastic.
HP extends cartridge recycling scheme to 68 countries
Printing and technology giant HP has extended its recycling scheme to 68 countries and territories after collecting more than 875,000 used printer ink cartridges.
Action on plastics: Has Covid-19 stopped the refill revolution?
Many retailers and brands backtracked on plastic-free refill pledges in a bid to stop Covid-19 from spreading earlier this year. But are we really headed back towards single-use in the long term, or will there be a different "new normal" for packaging?
Supermarket and packaging giants call for UK-wide ban on degradable plastics
Representatives from the likes of Tesco, Waitrose, Aldi and the Co-op have signed an open letter to Ministers calling for a ban on plastics which are only degradable in industrial conditions with chemical additives.
Unilever and UK Government back chemical plastic recycling innovation
A joint project hoping to scale-up chemical recycling for hard-to-recycle plastics waste, involving Unilever and synthetic fuel giant Neste, has received a £3.1m grant from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
Morrisons, Waitrose and John Lewis remove glitter from Christmas items
Three retailers, Morrisons, Waitrose and John Lewis, have met commitments to phase-out glitter from Christmas products due to the damage the microplastics can cause to the natural environment.
Electrolux debuts vacuum cleaner made from 100% recycled plastics
Electrolux has unveiled the first product range as part of a new "circular initiative" with Stena Recycling, a new vacuum cleaner made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastics and reused materials.
Plastic-eating 'super-enzymes' and water-based fuel: The best green innovations of September 2020
Every month, numerous eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations are being developed to help businesses and nations turn their green ambitions into actions. Here, we round up six of the best from September 2020.
Plastic straws to be banned in England from Thursday
Single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds will be banned from sale and distribution in England from Thursday (1 October), following Covid-19 related delays.
Danone, Ella's Kitchen and TerraCycle launch UK-wide recycling scheme for food pouches
Baby food brand Ella's Kitchen will partner with Danone Yoghurt and TerraCycle to launch a UK recycling programme for flexible food pouch packaging, in a bid to reduce the volume of material being sent to landfill.
Boots launches takeback scheme for hard-to-recycle products
Boots has become the latest retailer to launch an in-store take-back scheme for hard-to-recycle packaging and products, offering customers £5 worth of loyalty points for every five products deposited.
Iceland joins campaigners to call for better corporate reporting on plastics
Retailer Iceland had today (16 September) joined forces with Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, A Plastic Planet and Surfers Against Sewage in calling for corporates to better disclose their plastics consumption.
The AA's EV service and OXO's planetary sales donation: 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.
Flurry of corporate plastic announcements hints at a new normal for the circular economy
In what has been a bumper week for news stories on single-use plastics, edie explores how corporates are forging ahead with new collection and take-back schemes for recyclable packaging that had been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.
L'Oréal launches bottles made from 100% recycled plastic and rolls out Maybelline recycling scheme
L'Oreal has confirmed that bottles of Paris Elvive will be made from 100% recycled plastic, on the same day that its Maybelline brand launched a UK recycling programme in partnership with TerraCycle.
McDonald's joins TerraCycle's Loop programme to trial reusable cups
The world's largest restaurant company McDonald's has launched a new global partnership to utilise the Loop collection model from TerraCycle that will see reusable and returnable cups trialled to cut back on single-use plastics.
Nestle invests in food-grade recycled plastics as part of closed-loop innovation drive
Nestlé has launched a new £22m ($30m) investment to increase the amount of food-grade recycled plastics it uses in packaging, has launched a new refill system for pet food and will trial recyclable paper packaging for certain brands.
Co-op launches in-store collection scheme for single-use plastics
Co-op has started an in-store collection system for "scrunchable" plastics, including carriers bags, yoghurt pots and food wrappers, which will be processed into waste disposal bin liners to be used by the retailer.
HolyGrail 2.0: Major brands sign up to explore digital watermarks to improve packaging recycling
More than 80 major European brands, including P&G, PepsiCo and Mondi will collaborate to explore the feasibility of using "digital watermarks" to improve the sorting of recyclable packaging across the European Union (EU), as part of the HolyGrail 2.0 project spearheaded by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Absolut to trial 2,000 paper-based drinks bottles
The Absolut Company will trial 2,000 paper-based bottle prototypes across Sweden and the UK later this year, to test the viability of paper as an alternative to single-use plastics in beverage applications.
Coca-Cola switches to 100% recycled plastics across Netherlands and Norway
Coca-Cola is set to roll out bottles made from 100% recycled plastic (rPET) in the Netherlands and Norway, as part of the company's latest efforts in Western Europe to eliminate the use of virgin oil-based plastics in its products.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation launches Plastics Pact in US, supported by 60 major signatories
Mars, Unilever and Kimberly-Clark are among the 60+ organisations to have committed to the new US version of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Plastics Pact, which aims to create a fully circular economy for plastics.
Magnum to roll out recycled plastic ice cream tubs globally
Ice cream brand Magnum is set to introduce plastic tubs consisting of recycled plastic across all its markets, a move that will see an estimated 160,000kg of certified recycled material used by the end of 2020 across Europe.
MPs outline support for 'all-in' deposit return system
A group of 20 MPs have signed a motion calling for all materials to be covered by a UK deposit return scheme for cups, bottles and containers to boost recycling rates.
John Elkington: Businesses should 'think like insurgents' to spur green recovery efforts
EXCLUSIVE: Many organisations will need to "regenerate" approaches to environmental, societal and economic business models in the wake of the financial damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to Volans' chairman and chief pollinator John Elkington, who has called on companies to "think like an insurgent".
New platform to help corporates forge circular economy partnerships
Environmental NGO BVRio has launched a new online platform connecting circular economy projects with corporates and impact investors, whose aim is to help small programmes scale-up and large organisations put sufficient finance behind their resource goals.
Starbucks reintroduces reusable cups to stores
Starbucks has stopped a temporary ban on reusable cups in stores that was introduced at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Brits cut bottled water consumption by half during lockdown
The proportion of UK adults regularly purchasing plastic bottled water almost halved during lockdown, new research from YouGov has concluded.
The 'Sustainability Innovators' mindset
What is the right mindset for sustainability innovation? This blog introduces four characteristics to help innovators adopt the right mentality and approach for a sustainable future.
Amount of plastics in oceans will quadruple by 2040, major new research finds
The world's plastic pollution problem is vastly outpacing efforts to stop it, meaning that the volume of plastics in oceans globally will be four times higher in 2040 than in 2016, new research backed by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has concluded.
Mastercard unveils biodegradable, ocean-bound and recyclable plastics card drive
Mastercard has launched a new initiative to get its customers to switch to cards made from recycled, biodegradable and ocean plastics, in a bid to reduce the amount of excess plastic that is landfilled each year.
Cross-sector action needed to improve flexible plastics recycling
Cross-section action and government guidance are required to create a recycling system for flexible, low-value plastics such as bags and wrapping, according to new guidance published today (14 July) by WRAP.
Diageo unveils 'world's first' plastic-free, paper-based spirits bottle
Diageo has unveiled a plastic-free, paper-based spirits bottle, which will debut on the company's Johnnie Walker range of Scotch Whisky early next year, with PepsiCo and Unilever joining the brewer in creating a new consortium for plastic-free packaging.
In numbers: Tracking public attitudes to plastics during the pandemic
Several businesses have published new research to mark Plastic Free July, including Veolia and Amcor. Here, edie rounds up the key findings, which act as a snapshot of public opinion on plastics in the context of Covid-19.
Report: Electronic waste up 21% in 5 years, with $57bn dumped annually
A record 53.6 million metric tonnes of electronic waste (e-waste) was generated globally in 2019, with the waste stream having increased by more than one-fifth since 2014.
Kleenex debuts plastic-free tissue boxes as Mr Muscle unveils 100% 'ocean-bound' plastic bottle
Kleenex will remove the plastic opening from all tissue boxes by August 2020, parent firm Kimberly-Clark has announced in the same week that SC Johnson unveiled a Mr Muscle bottle made from 100% recycled plastic content.
O2 to install PPE recycling boxes in stores
Telecoms giant O2 will begin collecting used personal protective equipment (PPE) at UK stores this month, as part of a new partnership with Terracycle.
'Good all round': Exploring Innocent Drinks' first sustainability report
EXCLUSIVE: Innocent drinks has launched its first "good all round" report, the company's innovative take on the traditional sustainability report outlining progress against its carbon-neutral, circular economy and staff engagement ambitions.
L'Oréal targets carbon neutrality by 2025 under new sustainability strategy
Global cosmetic firm L'Oréal has unveiled a new sweeping set of sustainability targets, pledging to reach carbon neutrality by 2025, halve carbon emissions, use 100% renewables and ensure all plastic packaging comes from recycled or bio-based sources.
Report: Big-name brands failing to address plastic pollution crisis, despite improved pledges
A survey of 50 of the largest consumer-facing goods firms, including PepsiCo, Kraft Heinz and Kellogg, has found that companies are generally failing to take ambitious action on plastic pollution, despite lofty pledges to do so.
Hasbro launches UK-wide recycling scheme for plastic toys
Toy giant Hasbro has launched a UK-wide take-back and recycling scheme for toys, as part of its partnership with recycling firm TerraCycle.
Signify commits to plastic-free packaging by 2021
Lighting systems firm Signify has committed to becoming plastic-free for all consumer packaging by 2021, in a move that is also expected to reduce emissions for the business.
WWF: Major consumer goods giants only sourcing 8% recycled plastics
McDonald's, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Keurig Dr Pepper and Procter & Gamble (P&G) collectively source 4.3 million metric tonnes of plastic annually, of which just 8% comes from recycled feedstocks.
NatWest's carbon calculator and Wilko's plastic pledge: The World Environment Day success stories
To mark World Environment Day (5 June) edie's Sustainability Success Stories arrive early, outlining fresh new commitments to sustainability across renewables, resources, the built environment and more.
Andrex to use 30% recycled content in plastic packaging
British toiletries brand Andrex has confirmed that its packaging will consist of 30% recycled plastic content, as it pushes forward with an ambition to reach at least 50% recycled plastic content by 2023.
World's first plastic-free PPE equipment launched to combat coronavirus pandemic
The world's first plastic-free PPE protective equipment has been launched today by campaign group A Plastic Planet, in a bid to assist the fight against coronavirus without harming the natural environment.
Princes commits to no export waste
Food and drink firm Princes has committed to ensuring that all of its packaging is recycled and handled solely by UK re-processors, rather than exporting the waste abroad, to gain more certainty that its packaging is recycled or dealt with appropriately.
Coffee shops sign up to post-lockdown reusable cup platform
Coffee shops from the likes of Costa and Boston Tea Party that are reopening across the UK are signing up to a new best-practice trial on accepting reusable coffee cups in a safe manner.
Zalando and Sustainable Apparel Coalition issue sustainable metrics for brands and retailers
German online fashion retailer Zalando has confirmed it will be the first retailer signed up to the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) to use a new module that will make sustainability assessments mandatory for its private labels and partner brands sold on its platform.
John Elkington on Green Swans, Covid-19 and green market shifts
In a viewpoint written exclusively for edie's Mission Possible 2020 report, Volans' chairman and chief pollinator John Elkington discusses a new "age of miracles" whereby the once impossible belief that sustainability could dictate market actions now becomes the core lever of an economic recovery.
Iceland cuts food waste by 23%, aims for 50% reduction by 2030
Retailer Iceland has revealed it has reduced food waste by almost a quarter in the past two years, having reduced wastage by around 2,500 tonnes through redistribution schemes as the company targets a 50% reduction by 2030.
Conde Nast to become carbon-neutral by 2030
Global fashion media company Conde Nast, which owns brands including Vogue and GQ, has committed to becoming a carbon-neutral company by 2030 while committing to educate its audience on the climate emergency.
Today at 1pm: Circular Economy online event featuring Hubbub, Amcor and Canary Wharf Group
Sustainability professionals and circular economy experts from a range of organisations and businesses across the value chain are set to appear on edie's Circular Economy online event, taking place on Thursday 21 May.
#SustyTalk: Amcor's David Clark on strengthening the circular economy during lockdown
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with packaging firm Amcor's vice president for sustainability David Clark discussing the role of the circular economy as part of a green economic response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Viridor signs agreement on UK plastics chemical recycling initiative
Waste management firm Viridor has agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with chemical recycling company Plastic Energy to explore a system that treats non-recycled plastic waste using low-carbon electricity to create recycled plastic feedstocks.
Oxford's zero-carbon homes and L'Oreal's eco-fund: 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.
Pernod Ricard moves single-use plastics phase-out forward to 2021
Beverage giant Pernod Ricard has moved a target to end the use of single-use plastic point-of-sale (POS) items forward four years, pledging to reach the ambition by 2021.
Superdrug ditches plastic from own-brand tampons
Superdrug has announced that it has removed plastics from its own-brand tampons and launched a new range of menstrual products made from organic and sustainably certified materials.
L'Oréal launches €150m social and environmental fund to support coronavirus response
Global cosmetic firm L'Oréal has noted the need to focus on regenerating the environment while also supporting those impacted by the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus, and has responded by launching a €50m social fund to support vulnerable women and a €100m environment fund.
Green buildings on the BBC: Is the built environment about to have its 'Blue Planet' moment?
The aftermath of BBC's Blue Planet 2 series sparked an unprecedented public outcry against single-use plastics, where businesses were firmly in the crosshairs. The nature document skirted around the issues of plastic waste in the ocean, but even just a fleeting lock at its impact sparked global change.
#SustyTalk: City to Sea's Rebecca Burgess on combatting single-use plastics during lockdown
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with not-for-profit campaigning organisation City to Sea's chief executive Rebecca Burgess discussing how the organisation is communicating with the public on the issue of single-use plastics during the coronavirus lockdown.
Allbirds running shoe made from renewable materials to feature 'carbon count' label
B Corp Allbirds has debuted a new running shoe made from renewable and natural materials and is the first product from the company to feature a physical "carbon count" label, detailing the lifecycle emissions of the product to consumers.
Coca-Cola and Pepsi falling short on pledges over plastic - report
Coca-Cola and Pepsi are not doing enough to reduce their plastic waste footprint globally, according to a report.
Innovation and collaboration are vital for the success of plastics in the circular economy
As reported by edie, the European Commission unveiled its new Circular Economy Action Plan in March this year. The new plan outlined a sweeping set of commitments aimed at ensuring that circularity and resource efficiency act as a "prerequisite for climate neutrality" in line with the European Green Deal and Industrial Strategy.
Evian achieves carbon neutral certification globally
Danone-owned bottled water brand Evian has confirmed it has achieved carbon neutral certification across all the countries where the brand operates, following efforts to improve the efficiency of facilities and logistics and reducing lifecycle emissions of its bottles.
BlackRock's SDG fund and HP's ocean-plastic drive: 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.
Airlines, automakers and fossil fuel firms blasted as 'coronavirus climate profiteers'
A new report has blasted the lobbying efforts of the airline, automaker, fossil fuel and logging industries, claiming that organisations are attempting to benefit from billion-pound bailouts in response to the coronavirus that enables them to carry on with climate-wrecking business practices.
Sustainable Business Covered podcast: Keeping sustainability going through the Covid-19 lockdown
Episode 84 of the edie podcast sees the edie team working remotely as part of the UK-wide lockdown imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic. As such, edie asks sustainability experts from Interface, General Motors, Landsec and BT how they're adjusting to new ways of working to keep sustainability at the forefront of business actions.
Ban on plastic straws in England pushed back to October 2020
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has pushed back the ban on plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds set to come into force later this month to October 2020, to the dismay of campaigners.
Can you eliminate plastic in the workplace?
Back in 2017, WWF-UK pledged to eliminate all unnecessary single-use plastic throughout the organisation. Environmental Manager Lauren Wiseman explains how this year, that target was achieved.
EU dismisses industry calls to lift ban on single-use plastics
Deadlines have to be respected, says the European Commission in response to calls by industry to lift an EU-wide ban on some single-use plastic items because of health and hygiene concerns raised during the COVID-19 outbreak.
#SustyTalk: Interface's Jon Khoo on the links between coronavirus, climate change and plastics
With the UK on lockdown and edie readers working remotely or on furlough, this brand new series of video interviews keeps you connected to the inspirational business leaders who are continuing to drive sustainability and champion climate action from their own homes.
Scientists report huge upswing in efficiency for enzyme-based plastic recycling solution
A breakthrough recycling method that using a novel enzyme to breakdown plastics and is backed by a consortium of global businesses including Lucozade Ribena Suntory and PepsiCo is a step closer to commercialisation following improvements to the breakdown process.
Lockdown screening: 8 of the best film recommendations for sustainability and energy professionals
With many edie readers searching for something to watch in the safety of their own home, we've pulled together a list of the top films and documentaries to get lost in during lockdown – as recommended by sustainability and energy professionals across the country.
'Burnt and dumped': Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Unilever and Nestlé plastics waste fuelling climate change
Four of the world's largest users of plastic packaging - Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Unilever and Nestlé - are responsible for half a million tonnes of plastic pollution that are burnt or dumped each year in six developing countries, creating emissions equivalent to adding two million cars onto roads.
Coronavirus and plastics: Are we headed back towards single-use?
As the global economy struggles with the pressures of Covid-19, some industry groups are using the need for more protective equipment as a means to lobby for the removal of charges and bans on single-use plastics. edie explores why that cannot be allowed to happen.
British American Tobacco targets carbon neutrality by 2030
British American Tobacco (BAT) has announced a new ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and eliminating unnecessary single-use plastics by 2025, having slashed emissions by almost 50% since 2000.
Mondelez signs up to UK Plastics Pact and Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Global Commitment
Global chocolate producer Mondelēz International, which owns brands including Cadbury and Dairy Milk has signed up to two major initiatives to tackle plastics waste in the UK and globally.
Wales unveils plans to ban single-use plastics from 2021
The Welsh Government will bring "restrictions" around certain single-use plastic items, including straws and cotton buds, into effect in the first half of 2021.
Patagonia and Surfdome trial removal of plastic polybags for clothes
Online sports retailer Surfdome has partnered with outdoor clothing firm Patagonia to trial the removal of plastic polybags from clothes orders in a way that doesn't impact product quality or generate an increase in lifecycle carbon emissions.
Biffa to halve emissions and quadruple plastics recycling under new strategy
Waste management firm Biffa has announced a new sustainability strategy that will aim to quadruple the group's plastics recycling capacity and halve its emissions by 2030.
