Resource Management Month
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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 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 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.
'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.
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 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.
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.
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.
'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.
'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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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?
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).
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.
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: 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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Why BEIS should put the circular economy at the heart of its new industrial strategy
More than £9bn could be added to the UK economy if the Government's newly-formed Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) effectively integrates circular economy principles into the country's emerging industrial strategy, waste management firm Suez has claimed
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.
Recycling contamination levels are on the rise: what happens next?
The waste and resource management industry is calling for a long-term, coherent regulatory framework to increase recycling and re-use rates in England after a Freedom of Information (FoI) request revealed that the quantity of rejected recyclable waste has increased by 84% over the past four years.
Prepare for a global 'timber supply crunch', WWF warns UK retailers
"Urgent action" is needed from British businesses to invest in more sustainable timber sourcing practices, as highly-sourced areas suffer from a dangerous shortage of resources, a new report commissioned by the WWF has warned.
edie launches Responsible Retail Conference to discuss business-critical sustainability challenges
Retailers will be equipped with the tools they need to influence and engage with stakeholders on sustainability and realise the commercial benefits of low-carbon, resource-efficient business models at a brand new edie conference in September.
Waste of resources is biggest threat to planet, warns Scottish environment agency
Scotland's environment agency has warned the country's industries and farmers that their waste and inefficiency is now the biggest threat to the environment, overtaking pollution.
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.
Costa replaces coffee cup recycling logo with 'Tidy Man' in war on waste pledge
EXCLUSIVE: Costa Coffee will remove the recycling symbol from all of its paper cups and is trialling in-store recycling systems at 50 of its UK stores as the retailer ramps up plans to "lead the industry" in the fight against coffee cup waste.
The Sustainable Business Covered podcast: Episode 07 - How to win the war on waste coffee cups
As Hugh's War on Waste throws coffee cups into the spotlight, edie hears from the recycling experts, circular economy gurus and retailers at the heart of the debate to explore exactly what needs to happen to solve the great coffee cup conundrum.
WRAP reports Resource Revolution progress in latest Annual Review
The launch of the Courtauld Commitment 2025, the development of a series of robust resource efficiency campaigns and the brokering of voluntary agreements across various sectors represent some of the key highlights in WRAP's Annual Review.
Post-Brexit Britain must embrace circular economy to trade with EU, says Green Alliance
EXCLUSIVE: The legislation established as part of the European Union's nascent Circular Economy Package will still shape how a post-Brexit Britain develops new resource-efficient products and closed-loop business models, regardless of whether we stay in the single market or not.
Plastic waste dumped in UK seas 'carried to Arctic within two years'
Plastic dumped into the seas around the UK is carried to the Arctic within two years, scientists have revealed, where it does "extreme harm" to the fragile polar environment.
Could rewards schemes reinvigorate Britain's static recycling rates?
Long-term investment in rewards-based behaviour change schemes is the only way to reinvigorate plateauing recycling rates in a post-Brexit Britain, with 'quick-win' solutions failing to deliver for local authorities across the country.
Building Revolutions: Designing a circular economy for the built environment
The circular economy makes complete sense for short-lived consumer products, but can it really work for something as enduring and complex as a building? David Cheshire, sustainability director at engineering firm AECOM, provides an answer.
Liz Goodwin to join WRI as senior fellow in the fight against food waste
Former chief executive of the UK Government's Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) Liz Goodwin has revealed that she will join the World Resources Institute (WRI) as a senior fellow and director in September this year.
Mars and Ford hit big zero-waste-to-landfill milestones
Multinational corporations Mars and Ford have announced zero-waste-to-landfill achievements across their respective factories in their latest sustainability reports.
What resource efficiency innovations are needed today for the circular economy of the future?
The development of offsite construction solutions, the Internet of Things, and robotics and automation will prove crucial in utilising the untapped potential of waste-to-resource innovations and addressing the challenges involved in recovering valuable materials, according to a new report from the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN).
Beyond borders: 10 amazing European sustainability success stories
With the UK nervously awaiting the results of a defining European Union (EU) referendum, edie has rounded up some of the ways other Member States have been rolling out their own ambitious green initiatives to drive the low-carbon transition outside of the collaborative clutches of the EU.
Could this new material resolve the UK's great coffee cup recycling debate?
With big coffee chains including Starbuck and Costa facing increased public scrutiny over the recyclability of paper coffee cups, could a unique recycled resin provide an answer to the war on waste?
Marcus Gover to replace Liz Goodwin as WRAP chief executive
Marcus Gover will replace Liz Goodwin as the new chief executive of the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), the charity has announced today (13 June).
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).
REA calls for 'urgent' collaboration between food waste industry and local authorities
Increased collaboration and action is needed between the food waste industry and local authorities to boost recycling and food waste capture rates, according to the Renewable Energy Association (REA) and the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC).
'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.
Majority of global companies 'failing to deliver' on cotton sustainability
An overwhelming majority of global companies using the highest volume of cotton internationally have "failed to deliver" on sourcing sustainably, with industry experts calling on companies "serious about sustainability" to source 100% more sustainable cotton by 2020.
England should 'hang its head in shame' over static recycling efforts
With new figures released on Thursday (2 June) revealing that recycling figures for Wales had edged towards 60%, charity Keep Britain Tidy (KBT) has claimed that the lack of progress on recycling in England "reflects very badly on the situation".
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