Resource Management Month

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The 44-page report is the culmination of months of research and content development for edie's Mission Possible campaign

The future of sustainable business: edie launches landmark Mission Possible 2018 report

edie has published its flagship 2018 report for the Mission Possible campaign, exploring how businesses are scaling up effort and innovation across all areas of development to achieve a sustainable future.

P&G's vice-president of sustainability Virginie Helias explains how the manufacturer is accelerating the shift towards a circular economy.

This is Mission Possible: How P&G is achieving a sustainable future for resources

This series of video interviews showcases the sustainability superheroes who are achieving 'Mission Possible' for their business. Here, Procter & Gamble's (P&G) vice-president of global sustainability Virginie Helias explains how the manufacturer is accelerating the shift towards a circular economy.

More than 100 expert speakers will appear across four stages to provide visitors with the insight and inspiration they need to take action across all areas of sustainable development

edie Live 2018: Show programme complete as plastics and SDGs take centre stage

The show content for edie's annual exhibition has been confirmed, with plastics waste, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), energy storage and employee engagement among the hot topics that will be debated across four theatres at the two-day show in May.

From plastic packaging to fast-fashion, the new guide explains how businesses can accelerate the circular economy transition

Achieving a circular economy: New business guide launched by edie

Organisations looking to accelerate the transition to a circular economy now have access to a comprehensive 'edie explains' guide which breaks down everything there is to know about achieving a zero-waste world.

Lindisfarne Castle on the Northumberland coast. The North East is the lowest performing region overall for sustainability

Sustainability index reveals North-South divide among local authorities

A new report has exposed a divergence in the sustainability performance of local authorities across the country, with London boroughs generally outperforming Northern regions in areas such as waste and energy consumption.

The pledge was announced last night (13 February), live on air on the One Show programme

BBC vows to 'lead the way' with single-use plastics ban by 2020

The BBC has announced it will launch a new "three-step plan" to remove single-use plastics from its operations by 2020.

The war on plastic waste has this week been taken up by the Royal Family

Could Scotland be on the verge of becoming the first European country to ban plastic straws?

The Scottish Government could introduce a ban on plastic straws as early as next year, it has been reported.

Network Rail said it had been encouraged by some its station food and beverage retail tenants to reduce plastic waste

Network Rail to roll out free water fountains at national stations

Network Rail has stepped up its efforts to reduce plastic waste with proposals to introduce free water fountains at its managed stations.

The pledges follow last month’s commitment from Cranswick to halve plastic packaging use by 2025

Cranswick vows to become 'zero food waste' business by 2030

Major premium food supplier Cranswick has announced plans to move to 100% renewables from next month and remove all food waste from its operations by 2030.

The global switch to paper cups is expected to be completed by 2020 as supplier manufacturing capabilities ramp up

Dunkin' Donuts to stop using foam cups by 2020

Dunkin' Donuts has committed to stop using polystyrene foam cups by 2020, a move which the company claims could remove nearly one billion foam cups from the waste stream each year.

Greenpeace has criticised Coca-Cola’s new plan for failing to include a pledge to reduce the company’s increasing use of single-use plastics globally

Greenpeace: New Coca-Cola global plastics plan 'dodges the main issue'

Coca-Cola has launched a new global plan to address its plastics impact, but Greenpeace has condemned the soft drinks giant for failing to reduce the number of single-use plastics bottles it produces.

Costa and Cranswick join a growing list of corporates committing to tackle the growing issue of plastic waste

Costa and Cranswick reinforce plastic waste efforts

Major coffee chain Costa and food manufacturer Cranswick have become the latest companies to make commitments to slash the amount of plastics used in their operations.

Adidas will contribute to the development of the Fashion for Good Experience, a consumer-facing concept space in Amsterdam open to the public

Adidas teams up with fashion innovation accelerator

Adidas has joined forces with global initiative Fashion for Good to accelerate sustainable innovation in the apparel supply chain.

This should be a year to remember for the green economy, for all the right reasons

Five reasons to be cheerful about the green economy in 2018

From heightened corporate investment in clean energy sources, to an accelerated shift towards resource efficiency and new environmental legislation, we look at some of the major reasons to be optimistic about the outlook of the green economy in 2018.

The authors highlight a $500bn economic opportunity for the industry should it adopt a circular approach

Stella McCartney and Ellen MacArthur present roadmap for circular fashion industry

The sheer scale of textile waste caused by the clothing industry has been laid bare in a damning new report co-launched by Dame Ellen MacArthur and fashion designer Stella McCartney.

Coca-Cola’s new plan to ensure that all of its packaging is 100% recyclable or reusable has been welcomed tentatively by campaigners concerned about marine pollution

Coca-Cola bolsters sustainability targets for Western Europe

Coca-Cola's continental divisions have teamed up to deliver a new sustainability plan for Western Europe, with a range of targets including plans to halve direct carbon emissions and only use packaging that is recyclable or reusable by 2025.

A mounting body of evidence showing that oxo-degradable plastics fragment into tiny pieces, including microplastics

Coalition calls for oxo-degradable plastic ban

A coalition of businesses, NGOs, scientists and politicians have come together to call for a ban on oxo-degradable plastic packaging, which has been linked to microplastics pollution.

Sky has hit its 2020 targets to reduce waste, emissions and water consumption

Sky hits key sustainability goals three years early

Reductions in water, emissions and food waste are notable achievements in Sky's latest CSR report, which reveals that the TV broadcaster has hit half of its environmental targets three years early.

The Ecover Ocean Washing-Up Liquid bottle uses 15% less plastic than its traditional design by mimicking the structure of micro-organisms found in the ocean

Ecover unveils bottle made with 50% ocean plastic

Ecover has launched a limited-edition washing-up liquid bottle made from 50% ocean plastic, as the cleaning products firm outlines a vision to use 100% recycled plastic in all bottles by 2020.

The suits will be made with wool that M&S customers have donated through the retailer’s Shwopping clothes recycling scheme with Oxfam

New M&S menswear suit crafted with recycled wool

Marks & Spencer (M&S) has launched a new menswear wool blend suit made with 55% recycled wool, which includes materials donated in-store by its customers.

Office of Budgetary Responsibility (OBR) economic forecasts are set to reveal that productivity growth has been far worse than expected

Business coalition calls for resource efficiency drive to boost weak UK productivity

Top UK business organisations and green groups have called on the UK Government to close the UK's regional productivity gap and rebalance the economy by backing resource efficient manufacturing.

The partnership could help to significantly reduce the 650,000 plastic bottled drinks used at University of Reading’s campus each year

Smart Coca-Cola dispensers to help university students slash soft drinks packaging

Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) has teamed up with the University of Reading to hand out micro-chipped refillable drinks bottles to students to support a more sustainable packaging system on campus.

This summer, C&A became the first global retailer to launch Gold level Cradle to Cradle (C2C) certified t-shirts

Cradle to Cradle: How C&A is leading the fashion industry's circular transition

EXCLUSIVE: Fashion retailer C&A is driving circularity by selling apparel products made from sustainable cotton, and the Dutch-based firm is eager to bring the rest of the industry on its journey.

The HP ENVY Photo Printer can be recycled at the end-of-life

HP unveils world's first in-class printer made with closed-loop recycled plastic

Hewlett-Packard (HP) has continued its drive towards a circular business model with the unveiling of the world's first in-class printer made with closed-loop recycled plastic.

London’s historic food market also aims to achieve zero landfill with biodegradable packaging and compostable leftovers

Borough Market to phase out plastic bottle sales with free fountains

London's Borough Market is to introduce free drinking water fountains as part of a new pledge to phase out sales of all single-use plastic bottles over the next six months.

More than £300,000 worth of equipment is being be installed at Belmont’s Kilwinning site near Glasgow to enable the sorting and shredding of used batteries

Post-Brexit Britain to offer circular economy for batteries with new recycling plant

The UK will no longer need to export used batteries across Europe thanks to the development of a new plant which will allow the country to be self-sufficient in battery recycling as it prepares to leave the EU.

The Edinburgh Remakery encourages customers to buy refurbished computers, rent affordable workspace and tool

Scotland's circular drive reaches re-use milestone

Scotland's drive for a circular economy has reached a major milestone with today's (8 August) announcement that 100 quality-certified re-use stores are now in operation.

Online customers will still be able to opt for single-use carrier bags for their shopping or select a bagless delivery, which the majority of online shoppers are now doing

Tesco to scrap single-use carrier bags in favour of 'bag for life'

The UK's largest supermarket group is replacing all of its 5p single-use carrier bags – which it sold more than 600 million of last year – with a new 10p 'bag for life' made from 94% recycled plastic.

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.

England bowlers Moeen Ali and Stuart Broad are supporting the Sky Ocean Rescue initiative, which is encouraging consumers to reduce the use of single-use plastics

Sky partners with Oval cricket ground to raise awareness of ocean plastic pollution

Broadcasting company Sky is taking its Ocean Rescue sustainability campaign to the world of cricket by forming a partnership with the Kia Oval stadium, which will see refillable water bottles handed out to fans during England's match against South Africa this week.

England's seven major retailers sold six billion fewer single-use plastic bags in 2016-17 compared with 2014-15 - an 83% drop in usage

Plastic bag charge: 10 fascinating facts about the scheme's sustainability success

With new Government figures revealing an 83% reduction in single-use carrier bag sales since the instruction of a 5p charge in England, edie delves deep into the data to bring you 10 facts and statistics that you probably didn't know about the scheme and its effects.

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.

Argos has rolled out a gadget trade-in service across the retailer's 788 UK stores

Retailers urged to seize growing consumer demand for electrical trade-ins

An overwhelming majority of British consumers have a desire to embrace circular business models when it comes to unwanted electrical and electronic products, according to new research from WRAP.

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.

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.

Dell recovered 177 million pounds of used electronics last year

Dell will be using 100 million pounds of recycled materials in its products by 2020

Technology giant Dell has set itself a new target after surpassing its 2020 goal to use 50 million pounds of sustainable materials in its products.

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.

Two-thirds of the world’s largest companies are reporting that exposure to water-related risks could generate a “substantive change” in business operations and revenues

Oceans apart: Why businesses need to embed water efficiency across departments

With water availability declining as energy demand rises, some of the private sector's leading lights on water management believe now is the time for businesses to embed holistic water stewardship programmes that capture the interests of other departments. edie's Matt Mace investigates.

The Furniture Recycling Group's managing director Nick Oettinger, who is calling on British mattress manufacturers to take the lead on producer responsibility schemes

John Lewis recycles 60,000 mattresses through re-use partnership

Retail giant John Lewis has teamed up with a mattress recycling firm to help its customers responsibly dispose of their mattresses, with nearly 60,000 recycled in the past year.

The Advance London scheme will provide free practical help and advice to assist SMEs in identifying circular economy opportunities

London launches support scheme for circular economy transition

A new business support programme which aims to help SMEs in London adopt and scale-up resource-efficient business models has been launched today (25 April).

The new facility will dry and refine the glass into a recycled standard that has been cleaned and crushed into small fragments

Veolia to build £10m closed-loop glass recycling facility

Resource management firm Veolia has agreed a deal to construct and operate a state-of-the-art glass cullet processing facility in a closed-loop partnership with a UK wool insulation manufacturer.

Square Mile Challenge bins in the shape of bright yellow coffee cups will be in place on the City’s streets

Big businesses unite in Square Mile coffee cup recycling challenge

Major coffee retailers and businesses in the London Square Mile have today (3 April) joined forces to launch a scheme which aims to recycle half a million coffee cups in London this month.

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.

Processing 10.5 tonnes of Category 1 waste every day, the new site will boost the airport's recycling rate from 52% in 2016 to around 85% by 2020. (Scroll down to play video)

Inside Gatwick's 'world-first' waste management plant

Gatwick's newly opened £3.8m waste processing plant takes the airport to brave new heights for sustainable aviation. Join edie on the ground for an exclusive behind-the-scenes video tour of this state-of-the-art facility, and read the full case study to find out how it works.

In practice: Gatwick Airport's 'world-first' waste management plant

Gatwick’s pioneering energy-from-waste plant represents a huge step forward for sustainable aviation. Find out how it works, who was involved and the key results the facility is driving in this new 'in practice' case study.

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.

Therese Coffey reserved praise for the retailers and manufacturers that collaborate to reduce food waste levels through the Courtauld Commitment

Business the key player in food waste fight, says Resource Minister

Businesses must act as a vital bridge between the consumer and Government to tackle the growing issue of household food waste, Resource Minister Therese Coffey has claimed.

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.

An improved circular economy model in London is estimated to have the potential to create 40,000 new jobs by 2030

London unveils £50m circular economy business plan

The London Waste and Recycling Board (LWARB) has this week set out a £50m business plan to help reinvigorate recycling efforts and accelerate the development of the circular economy across the capital.

The Package will only be finalised once both the Parliament and Council of Ministers agree on an identical text

Circular Economy Package: MEPs pledge to restore recycling targets in landmark vote

The European Parliament has voted to restore recycling and landfill targets that had been lowered by the European Commission in its re-tabled Circular Economy Package.

Internal and external relations need to be fine-tuned to ensure that sustainability is treated as a core business value in other departments such as procurement and buying

Internal communication key to driving resource efficiency in fast-fashion world

Sustainability professionals working within incumbent fashion retailers need to be more closely aligned with procurement departments in order to accelerate the transition to more sustainable fashion industry.

Stairway to success: Further education and support to articulate the benefits of the circular economy is required to encourage widespread adoption

Thinking circular: applying an effective closed-loop model

Ahead of her appearance at edie Live 2017 in May, circular economy expert Catherine Joce explores what it takes to deliver a successful closed-loop product or service, drawing on real-life examples of businesses that are driving the resource revolution.

City Hall, Cardiff. Recent studies have found the adoption of a circular economy could save the Welsh economy up to £2bn and has the potential to create up to 30,000 jobs

Wales creates £6.5m circular economy fund for SMEs

The Welsh Government has unveiled a £6.5m fund to help SMEs make the transformation towards a circular economy.

MDF Recovery estimates it could recycle between 30,000-60,000 tonnes of MDF waste in the UK each year, and almost three million tonnes globally

SUEZ invests £250,000 into 'ground-breaking' MDF recycling technology

SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK has invested £250,000 to support the development of a pioneering technology that recycles medium-density fibreboard (MDF).

The Halo capsules can discarded in home food bins when used, with each capsule biodegrading completely within three months. Photo Halo Coffee

Could this compostable coffee capsule solve the great circular economy challenge?

As the coffee cup recycling debate continues to grab national headlines, a new eco-innovation has launched which could set a new standard for another key circular economy conundrum: non-biodegradable coffee capsules.

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 European approach towards waste is hampered by unclear objectives, poor data and definitions and a failure to reflect the UK context, Policy Exchange contends

Report: Brexit offers escape hatch from £2bn EU waste policy costs

British businesses would lose as much as £2bn over the next 20 years through the EU's Circular Economy Package, according to a new report from think-tank Policy Exchange, which is calling on the UK to adopt a better waste and resource management framework post-Brexit.

In developing areas such as Africa, demand for fish is starting to outweigh supply due to increased household incomes and poor fishing standards

Food production 'in jeopardy' unless new agri-practices are introduced, says FAO

The global population's ability to feed itself could be "in jeopardy" unless new technologies and sustainable agriculture policies and practices are introduced, a new report from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has warned.

Registration is now open for the UK's leading event for sustainability, energy and resource efficiency professionals

edie Live 2017: Speakers and sessions revealed

The show content for edie Live 2017 has been confirmed with more than 100 expert speakers appearing across four seminar theatres for the two-day exhibition in May.

The paper calls for a re-think on the tonnage-based EU waste targets to incorporate measures focused on wider environmental goals such as CO2 impacts

UK should consider new 2025 recycling targets, claims EIC

The UK should consult on new recycling targets for 2025 to boost investor confidence in the waste sector, according to a new report from the Environmental Industries Commission (EIC).

The new H&M Conscious Exclusive collection (left) and Mango's new Committed Life collection (right) are a step in the right direction for the wasteful fast fashion industry. Photos: H&M/Mango

Sustainably attired: H&M and Mango launch ethical fashion collections

Multinational clothing brands H&M and Mango have unveiled new sustainable fashion collections made from organic and recycled materials.

First Mile's chief commercial officer Joe Allen (left) and Caffè Nero's commercial director Matt Spencer (right) are pleased by the success of the ongoing partnership

Caffé Nero reports coffee-waste-to-biofuel success, plans expansion

Italian-style coffee shop chain Caffé Nero is looking to extend an innovative coffee-to-biofuel recycling scheme beyond greater London after a successful partnership with recycling company First Mile and technology firm Bio-Bean.

Coffee cups will be collected by Costa staff and taken back-of-house to be stored upside down in racks, to ensure they are free from contamination

Costa goes nationwide with in-store coffee cup recycling scheme

Coffee shop chain Costa Coffee has taken a huge step forward in the war on waste coffee cups with the rollout of a pioneering cup recycling scheme to more than 2,000 of its stores across the UK.

A range of resource-efficient business models exist; businesses need to examine consumer attitudes towards them

WRAP: Consumer demand creating economic opportunities for resource management

The private sector can progress waste reduction methods and promote recycling and reuse by building new business models around the consumer, WRAP's technical specialist Greg Lucas has claimed.

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.

WRI's director of food loss and waste Liz Goodwin finds it “ridiculous” that the average UK consumer is throwing away £700 worth of food every year

Liz Goodwin: Britain at risk of losing global food waste leadership

EXCLUSIVE: Britain's global leadership on food waste has "plateaued" and requires the combined effort of consumers, retailers, and policymakers to keep the nation on track with reduction commitments, the World Resources Institute's (WRI) director of food loss and waste Liz Goodwin has said.

The edie Live 2017 exhibition and conference returns to the NEC Birmingham on 23-24 May

edie Live 2017 opens for registration

Registration is now open for the UK's leading event for sustainability, energy and resource efficiency professionals, offering visitors a host of new show features, networking events and advice clinics across two days.

Research suggests that the European remanufacturing sector could be worth €90bn by 2030 if it receives cross-sector policy support and investment from industry

Business-led remanufacturing body launched to advise EU policy

Today (27 January) marks the launch of the European Remanufacturing Council (ERC), a new, industry-led body which plans to become the co-ordinated voice for the businesses that are currently producing £25.5bn of remanufactured goods.

The 2017 Sustainability Leaders Awards took place at the Hilton on Park Lane in London on 25 January (Scroll down for full list of winners)

Sustainability Leaders Awards 2017: Winners revealed at glittering ceremony

Costa Coffee, Grosvenor, Interface and Royal Mail were among the big winners of edie's 2017 Sustainability Leaders Awards, announced at an awards ceremony in London on Wednesday evening (25 January).

Aldersgate Group calls for a new UK policy strategy which drives innovation on resource efficiency by helping businesses to gain improved access to financial advice

Resource efficiency could boost UK economy by £80bn by 2030, says Aldersgate Group

The UK economy could swell by nearly £80bn if the country adopts resource-efficient business models by 2030, according to the latest research by business alliance the Aldersgate Group.

Sainsbury's has already made a further £1 million fund available to towns and cities across the UK, to help them tackle food waste at the consumer stage

Sainsbury's sees surge in demand for regional food waste campaign

As the spotlight on reducing consumer food waste intensified this week, Sainsbury’s director of corporate affairs Louise Evans has revealed that the supermarket has seen a surge in applications from town and cities to take part in its campaign to tackle household food waste.

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.

Two of the new recycled Blue Peter badges will launch this month, with all of the show's other plastic badges set to follow

'Here's one we made earlier': Blue Peter badges to be made from yoghurt pots

The BBC has announced that its long-running children's show Blue Peter will now be making its famous badges from old yoghurt pots.

The European Commission building in Brussels. Campaigners are calling for Europe's food waste reduction target to be legally-binding at a Member State level

Halve European food waste by 2030, green groups urge MEPs ahead of crucial vote

Ahead of the European Parliament's (EP) landmark vote on key food waste regulations next week, a union of organisations have today (18 January) backed calls for a 50% food waste reduction across the continent by 2030.

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 report estimates that $80-120bn of plastic packaging material value is lost to the economy due to a linear, take-make-dispose value chain

New Plastics Economy: Businesses support action plan to recycle 70% of global plastic packaging

A cross-sector coalition of multinational businesses have today (16 January) thrown their weight behind the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's new global action plan to recycle and re-use 70% of the world's plastic packaging.

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.

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.

The draft of BS 8001 is available for public comment until 15 January 2017 and final publication is expected in May 2017

Major companies back draft circular economy business standard

The framework for a circular economy business standard developed by the British Standards Institution (BSI) has received "very positive" feedback from high-profile companies looking to make the transition to a more sustainable and circular business model.

BMW's corporate headquarters in Munich, where car sharing has been introduced around the city

How BMW is revving up for an electric vehicle circular economy

EXCLUSIVE: The ongoing electrification of the transport sector looks set to open up new avenues for improved resource management and closed-loop practices for carmakers looking to push beyond regulatory compliance, BMW's environmental programmes manager has said.

Tesco CEO Dave Lewis is chair of the Champions 12.3, which supports UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 – halving food waste per capita and reducing food loss by 2030

Tesco boss calls for greater transparency to tackle food waste

EXCLUSIVE: Retailers are showing a "growing appetite" to collaborate to tackle food waste, but still need to provide clearer information and deliver better reporting standards to drive change, the chief executive of Britain's largest supermarket group has told edie.

Ford, MillerCoors, Nestle, Vacherin and Vauxhall are among an increasing number of businesses that have achieved zero-waste-to-landfill status

Carbon Trust launches zero-waste-to-landfill certification

Advisory firm The Carbon Trust has unveiled a new certification to award business achievements in diverting zero waste to landfill.

Research has discovered that only four London boroughs out of the 32 are above the national domestic recycling average of 44.9%

London support scheme launched to help SMEs scale up circular business models

As research reveals that almost 90% of London boroughs have fallen below the national average for household recycling, a new business support programme has been launched to enable SMEs in the capital to adopt and scale up circular business models.

Will new Chancellor Philip Hammond dedicate any part of his first Autumn Statement to the green economy? Stay tuned to edie on Wednesday

Autumn Statement 2016: 10 green policy hopes for Philip Hammond's first budget announcement

From unveiling a low-carbon Industrial Strategy and confirming post-Brexit support for renewables through to enabling a smart, flexible energy system and providing more expenditure to prevent flooding - will new Chancellor Philip Hammond deliver on our green policy wishlist in his first Autumn Statement?

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).

The building housing Veolia's new energy-from-waste plant features a 42-metre vertical living wall – the largest of its kind in Europe

Veolia ramps up circular economy drive with Leeds EfW plant opening

Waste management firm Veolia has opened a giant energy-from-waste (EfW) facility in Leeds, in the same week that the company has reported positive progress towards achieving 'circularity' in 40% of its operations by the year 2020.

WWF is calling on all UK furniture retailers to publish a responsible timber sourcing policy

Are UK furniture retailers unwittingly destroying forest resources?

The majority of British furniture retailers are failing to treat responsible timber sourcing as a key issue despite having long-term business interests in such actions, a new report commissioned by the WWF suggests.

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.

More than 100 community leaders have signed up to the supermarket's campaign to reduce food waste across towns and cities

Sainsbury's announces second stage of food waste campaign

Supermarket chain Sainsbury's has announced the next step in its "Waste less, Save More" campaign, investing £1m into towns and cities across the UK to cut back on food waste.

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.

Water UK’s director of environment Sarah Mukherjee (left) and Environmental Services Association (ESA) executive director Jacob Hayler (right) appeared before the EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee

Brexit concerns mount for UK's waste and water industries

The UK's departure from the European Union (EU) could result in economic downturn and the slow degradation of environmental regulations in the waste and water industries.

Timberland has partnered with tyre manufacturer and distributor Omni United to produce a line of tyres intended to be recycled into footwear out-soles. Photo: Timberland

Timberland continues collaborative circular economy drive

Outdoor clothing company Timberland is ramping up its circular economy efforts as a number of innovative closed-loop models for footwear now approach the next stages of development.

The Furniture Recycling Group recently partnered with the University of St Andrews to transform textile recycling process in its student accommodation

Furniture manufacturers urged to solve circular economy conundrum

Britain's mattress manufacturers must become advocates of the circular economy by taking the lead on producer responsibility schemes which could significantly reduce the sector's vast waste-to-landfill rates.

WRAP's new Recycling Guidelines clarify the “what, why and how” of the recyclability of items such as paper, card, cartons, metal, plastic and glass packaging

Waste management industry unites to develop 'first ever' National Recycling Guidelines

Britain's rising recycling contamination levels could be pulled back on track thanks to a new set of guidelines developed by the waste management industry which detail exactly what can and cannot be accepted for recycling at the kerbside.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (centre) challenged Mike Coupe (second from right) to improve the transparency of Sainsbury’s food waste management

Sainsbury's boss clashes with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall over food waste management

Sainsbury's chief executive Mike Coupe has fended off a fresh wave of criticism from celebrity chef-turned-eco-warrior Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall about the "ridiculous system" of exacting cosmetic standards of the fruit and veg sold by Britain's supermarkets.

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

Lidl pledges to remove single-use plastic carrier bags

German discount supermarket chain Lidl UK has today (28 September) pledged to remove single-use plastic carrier bags from sale across all stores in England, Scotland and Wales.

Google's circular approach to waste management, as outlined in one of the firm's blog posts this week. Photo: Google

Google steps up circular economy ambitions with zero-waste data centre pledge

Multinational tech giant Google has made a commitment to achieve zero waste to landfill status across all of its global data centres, accelerating its efforts to transition to a closed-loop business model.