waste management
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COP27 is already in sight and plastics must be top of its agenda
Against a background of dismay with the outcomes of COP26, it would be an easy reaction to dismiss such climate talks as pointless window dressing. The last-minute weakening of draft commitments to end coal and fossil fuels rightly provokes fury among climate campaigners. Yet much of what was achieved would have been out of the question only a few years ago.
Aldi trials deposit return for drinks bottles in Scotland, ahead of national scheme
Aldi has begun trialling an in-store deposit return scheme for drinks containers in West Lothian, ahead of the introduction of a Scotland-wide scheme from July 2022.
Schwartz to move to fully recyclable herbs and spices sachets
Herbs and spices brand Schwartz is moving its entire range of recipe mixes to recyclable packaging in the UK, in a move that will reduce plastic usage by almost two-thirds while saving on carbon emissions.
What does a sustainable future in on-demand delivery look like?
Glovo's head of social impact and sustainability Sébastien Pellion, how logistics, manufacturing and transport will need to converge on new sustainability solutions to appease the demand of consumers.
Morrisons to launch six 'zero waste' stores in Scotland
Retailer Morrisons has confirmed plans to trial six "zero waste" stores in Edinburgh, which could be replicated across all its stores nationwide if successful.
Loop: Tesco launches returnable packaging system for select product ranges
Tesco has today (13 September) unveiled a new partnership with the Loop platform to enable teabags, beverages, cleaning products and other items to be purchased in reusable and returnable packaging.
What makes a sustainability leader? Meet Consumer Engagement champions Zero Waste Scotland
With the entry deadline for edie's 2022 Sustainability Leaders Awards less than a month away, this series showcases the achievements of previous winners and reveals their secrets to success. Up next: Winner of our 'Consumer Engagement Campaign' award, Zero Waste Scotland.
Government launches consultation on single-use plastics ban
The UK Government has on Friday (27 August) announced that it will run a consultation to outline what single-use plastic items could be banned in England over the coming years.
Britvic switches more brands to 100% recycled plastic bottles
Britvic has announced that its Robinsons, Lipton Ice Tea and drench brands are moving to 100% recycled plastic (rPET) for all 500ml bottles, as part of a wider commitment to move to fully recycled content in the UK by 2022.
Bulldog Skincare launches packaging recycling scheme as 'world's first' recyclable blister packs for medicine unveiled
UK-based men's skincare brand Bulldog has launched a new packaging take-back and recycling scheme, in the same week that an innovative recyclable plastic blister pack has launched.
Dixons Carphone launches nationwide polystyrene takeback scheme
Electrical and telecommunications retailer Dixons Carphone has unveiled fresh new commitments to embrace the circular economy, including making all its own-label products packaging reusable or recyclable by 2023 and introducing a nationwide rollout of an in-store takeback scheme for polystyrene.
Report: Just 12 businesses account for more than half of UK's packaging litter
An analysis of the litter collected during more than 600 clean-up events across the UK this year has found that packaging from businesses including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and McDonald's is the most commonly littered.
Pets at Home launches packaging recycling scheme as Wilko extends face mask collections
Retailer Pets at Home has introduced in-store recycling points for flexible pet food packaging at 40 stores, while Wilko has confirmed that its in-store face mask recycling points will remain in place.
Co-op launches village-wide behaviour change study for recycling soft plastics
Co-op has launched a village-wide behaviour change study in a bid to get more than 1,000 residents of a village in Somerset to understand how soft plastics can be collected and recycled.
WRAP receives Walmart funding to drive food waste behaviour change in UK and Canada
The Walmart Foundation has provided around $750,000 to UK waste prevention charity WRAP, to kickstart a new initiative that will seek to reduce household waste in both the UK and Canada.
Available to watch on-demand: edie's Earth Overshoot Day webinar
Readers interested in learning about the intersections between the green recovery, circular economy and net-zero transition are encouraged to retrospectively watch edie's Earth Overshoot Day webinar.
Co-op to host reverse vending machines at music festivals, turning recycled plastic bottles into uniforms
Supermarket Co-op has confirmed plans to host reverse vending machines for plastic bottles and drinks cans at five music festivals this summer, and has forged a partnership to recycle the collected materials into uniforms for staff.
E-waste recycling boost 'needed to enable transition to net-zero'
The UK alone is losing at least £13.6m worth of critical raw materials for the net-zero transition, such as lithium, to the linear economy each year, due to a lack of capacity for recycling used electricals and electronics.
Turkey reverses ban on plastics imports for recycling
Just eight days after a ban on the import of certain kinds of plastic waste was instated by the Turkish Government in a bid to reduce plastic pollution, the mandate has been lifted for PET.
Co-op set to expand flexible plastic recycling scheme to 1,500 stores this month
Following an initial trial in 50 stores last year, Co-op is rolling out an in-store collection system for plastic bags and flexible packaging to 1,500 stores by the end of July.
Coca-Cola to use 100% recycled plastics for all on-the-go bottles in the UK
All small bottles produced by Coca-Cola in the UK will be made using 100% recycled plastic, in a move that will save 29,000 tonnes of virgin plastic each year.
UK's waste management sector targets net-zero emissions through £10bn infrastructure overhaul
The trade body representing the UK's resource and waste management industry has unveiled a sector-wide commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2040, through a £10bn investment into new recycling infrastructure and a focus on zero-emission vehicles.
Sainsbury's rolls out flexible plastic recycling scheme nationwide
Sainsbury's is set to introduce in-store recycling systems for flexible plastics packaging across all stores nationwide, following successful trials in the North East of England earlier this year.
Action, not reporting, holds the key to circularity
The increased interest in Environmental, Social and Governance reporting (ESG) obviously has an important role to play in our ability to create increasingly sustainable and circular business models and limit climate change, as Reconomy's head of sustainability Nathan Gray explains.
Amazon accused of wasting and destroying mountains of unsold products in the UK
Online retail giant Amazon has been accused of destroying millions of unsold items every year by ITV, which sent journalists to film undercover at the Dunfermline warehouse.
Spirax-Sarco 'refreshes' sustainability strategy with net-zero and biodiversity goals
Engineering firm Spirax-Sarco has 'refreshed' its sustainability strategy, unveiling new pledges towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity and waste management.
Unilever unveils new UK refillable packaging trials
Unilever is expanding trials of refillable packaging across the UK, including its first 'return on the go' scheme, in a bid to cut back on unnecessary plastics packaging.
Unilever introduces paper-based bottles for laundry detergent
Unilever is set to launch its first paper-based bottles for laundry detergent in Brazil next year, with an ambition in place to introduce the packaging across Europe thereafter.
Beer giant Corona achieves 'net-zero plastic footprint'
Beer brand Corona, which is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), has announced that it is now recovering more plastic from the environment than it generates, describing the milestone as the delivery of 'net-zero plastic'.
Waitrose and Aldi to use ocean-bound plastics for packaging on dozens of products
Waitrose & Partners has marked World Oceans Day (8 June) by unveiling plans to add ocean-bound plastics to packaging across 71 products, including ready meals, fruit and vegetables.
KFC to train all 28,000 UK staff to tackle litter
In light of the fact that many local authorities have reported an increase in littering since lockdown first began, KFC has launched a new strategy to combat the problem, including large-scale staff training.
Nissan invests £52m into closed-loop aluminium production at Sunderland facility
Nissan has confirmed a new £52m investment into its Sunderland facility that will enable the use of recycled and lightweight aluminium for the production of Qashqai vehicles to reduce the energy required for material processing.
A battery future
Lithium-ion batteries have enabled products that would not otherwise exist. A mobile electronic device - a cellphone, tablet, or a PC, say - would look very odd if it were powered by an internal combustion engine, and would not be mobile if the device had to be plugged into the wall to function.
Manufacturing giants unite on £1m Flexible Plastic Fund
Mars UK, Mondelēz International, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever are all supporting a new £1m initiative to improve the recyclability of "flexible" plastic bags, wrappers, films, pouches, packets and sachets.
edie Explains: The circular economy
Why is adopting a circular economy so important? What does a circular economy look like in practice? How does the circular economy apply to business? Which organisations are most suited to going circular? What are the business benefits of going circular? This new explains guide answers all these questions and more.
Turkey to ban plastic imports after 'recycling' from UK and other nations dumped and burned
The Turkish Government has outlined plans to ban the import of certain kinds of plastic waste, after a Greenpeace investigation found that plastics sent to Turkey for recycling were actually polluting the environment.
Viridor targets net-negative emissions by 2045 through carbon capture technology
Waste management firm Viridor has committed to becoming a net-zero emissions business by 2040 and to then move further by reaching net-negative emissions five years later.
Time, innovation and partnerships: How Unilever is moving away from single-use plastics
EXCLUSIVE: Unilever's chief R&D officer Richard Slater tells edie how a focus on better, less and no plastic is enabling the consumer goods giant to reduce its plastics footprint globally while improving the recyclability of packaging.
Aldi launches in-store recycling scheme for problem plastics
Aldi has added collection points for soft and flexible plastics, which most UK councils do not collect from homes, to 20 of its UK stores.
Unilever introduces fully recyclable toothpaste tubes
Unilever is introducing recyclable toothpaste tubes to its oral care brands in two of its largest markets, as part of wider plans to convert its branded toothpaste portfolio to widely recyclable packaging by 2025.
10p plastic bag charge comes into force for all businesses
The UK Government has confirmed that it is increasing the levy applied to single-use plastic carrier bags to 10p.
Co-op to remove plastic bags for life from all stores
Co-op will remove plastic bags for life from sale in all 2,600 stores, citing concerns that they are increasing the amount of plastic in circulation, instead choosing to offer customers 10p compostable bags.
B Corp Oddbox targets net-zero emissions by 2030
Surplus fruit and vegetable redistributor Oddbox has unveiled new pledges to reach net-zero emissions by 2030 and reduce emissions by saving 150,000 tonnes of food waste by 2025.
Aldi launches packaging-free refillable trial
Aldi has today (14 April) launched its first trial of packaging-free products, with a variety of rice and pasta on offer as part of a new refillable service.
Government to explore ban on oxo-degradable plastics
The UK Government is considering introducing a ban on types of plastics that can breakdown naturally, following an evidence-gathering consultation into the environmental impacts of plastics and alternative materials.
Morrisons to remove all plastic bags for life from UK stores
Supermarket retailer Morrisons is removing all plastic versions of its "bags for life" from stores nationwide, in favour of paper and other reusable options, in a move that will save 3,200 tonnes of plastic each year.
edie Explains: Net-zero carbon heating
What is net-zero carbon heating? Why is net-zero carbon heating important? What are the different forms of net-zero carbon heating? What are the business benefits of net-zero carbon heating? This explains guide answers all of these questions and more
Recycling rates are down, so what's the solution?
The latest data from the Department for Environment & Rural Affairs shows that household recycling rates in England have increased by just over 1% in the last 5 years.
Available to watch on-demand: edie's Circular Economy Inspiration sessions
Experts from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Ikea, Innovate UK and The Body Shop took part in The Circular Economy Inspiration Sessions - an afternoon of live, interactive presentations and discussions on Thursday 25 March.
Now is the time for businesses to become closed-loop activists
In the foreword for edie's new 'Single-use plastics: The 2021 roadmap for sustainable business' report Planet Patrol's Lizzie Carr outlines the need for businesses to embed the circular economy as core strategic principle.
SustyTalk: Planet Patrol's Lizzie Carr on single-use plastics and business activism
edie's #SustyTalk series continues during Circular Economy Week, with Planet Patrol's founder and activist Lizzie Carr discussing public attitudes towards single-use plastics and how businesses can become activists to help create a closed-loop future.
Government launches consultations on Deposit Return Scheme and Extended Producer Responsibility
MPs have today introduced new consultations to create the largest ever overhaul to the waste and resources sector, recommending that manufacturers cover the full costs of recycling packaging waste, standardising domestic and commercial waste collection and introducing a Deposit Return Scheme for certain types of packaging in 2024.
How to start your journey towards responsible consumption and production
Helen Brand, chief executive of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) discusses the association's approach to tackling the Sustainable Development Goals, notably ones focused on resource efficiency, and how other businesses can kickstart a journey to the circular economy.
edie launches updated best-practice guide for businesses tackling single-use plastics
edie has today (24 March) launched an updated report that outlines the steps businesses can and should take to identify, reduce, replace and eliminate single-use plastics from their operations, supply chains and products and services as part of efforts to build back better from the coronavirus pandemic.
Why the circular economy is primed to improve social sustainability and value chain resiliency
EXCLUSIVE: The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the fragility of both society and the sprawling value chains that the economy relies on. Shifting nations to a circular economy could be key in delivering a green recovery that champions sustainable income and environmental stewardship.
Single-use plastics: The 2021 roadmap for sustainable business
It’s been one of the biggest sustainable business issues of the past decade: tackling the scourge of single-use plastics. But has the progress delivered in 2019 off the back of the so-called “Attenborough effect” been offset by the pandemic?
The role of reused and refurbished tech in sustainable living
We at Dixons Carphone have long understood the significance of our actions and the impact we have as a business on our environment. We've been taking in our customers' e-waste since 2007 and have since built ourselves up to become the UK's biggest retail tech recycler.
Recycling gap: Most Brits claim they recycle plastic at home, so why aren't rates improving?
A new survey of 5,000 adults has revealed that eight in ten UK adults recycle at least three-quarters of the plastics waste produced in their homes. So why is the UK's domestic plastics recycling rate stagnating?
In charts: How big is the UK's waste mountain - and what are we recycling?
As part of edie's Circular Economy Week campaign, we take a look at the official facts and stats regarding some of the UK's biggest waste streams, outlining how much is generated and what proportions are recycled.
Vaccines, Value and Partnership: How Covid-19 is shaping sustainability
Covid-19 is a wake-up call for the world. In just one short year it has exposed the fragility and unpredictability of our existence, demonstrated the value of partnerships in solving an existential threat and made it clear that we cannot simply go back to the way we were.
#SustyTalk: Biffa's Jeff Rhodes on the Resources and Waste Strategy
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with an exclusive discussion with Biffa's head of environment & external affairs Jeff Rhodes, hosted as part of our Circular Economy Week.
Use compostable packaging to boost food waste recycling, UK Government told
With separate household food waste collections set to roll out across England by 2023, Ministers are being urged to spur the adoption of compostable packaging for food products.
Circular Economy Week: edie kicks off week of zero-waste themed content and events
Running from 22-26 March, edie's Circular Economy Week includes exclusive interviews, podcasts, reports, webinars and in-depth feature articles - all dedicated to embracing closed-loop models.
Ocado and KP Snacks detail progress on plastic phase-outs
Online retailer Ocado had launched a refresh of its own-range products that will remove more than nine million pieces of packaging while also reducing the amount of plastic used, while KP Snacks has also announced packaging reductions.
Mondelez and PepsiCo set new plastic pledges following non-profit discussions
Two of the world's largest users of plastics, Mondelez International and PepsiCo have agreed to set new reduction targets following intensive discussions with the As You Sow non-profit.
Tesco to roll out UK-wide flexible plastic recycling scheme
Tesco has begun introducing permanent in-store recycling points for soft and flexible plastics, which typically are not collected by councils, and is hoping to host them in all large UK stores.
Molson Coors unveils bottles with 90% lower carbon footprint
The Molson Coors Beverage Company is rolling out new glass beer bottles that have reduced the carbon emissions associated with production by up to 90%.
Next wave of speakers confirmed for edie's circular economy online event
Experts from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Ikea, Innovate UK and The Body Shop have been confirmed among the first wave of speakers for The Circular Economy Inspiration Sessions – an afternoon of live, interactive presentations and discussions taking place virtually on Thursday 25 March.
WRAP: Two-thirds of Brits don't see link between food waste and climate change
Better education on the links between food waste and climate change could encourage UK families to reduce the 6.6 million tonnes of food they bin at home every year.
Sainsbury's rolls out flexible plastic take-back and recycling scheme
Sainsbury's has begun collecting hard-to-recycle flexible plastic film at 63 of its stores and will use the material to trial an innovative new recycling process.
Now's the time for businesses to double down on shared challenges and values
To seize opportunities for progress and achieve the pace and scale of positive change required, the world needs business at its best. That's why there has never been a more critical time to put B Corp values front and centre of every responsible business.
Fashion giants collaborate on Bangladesh textile reuse scheme
A group of 30 fashion brands, manufacturers and waste management firms have launched a new collaborative scheme to capture and reuse textile waste in Bangladesh.
Absolut hits recycled materials target four years early
The Absolut Company has met a target to use 50% recycled material in its glass bottles four years ahead of schedule.
Costa Coffee expands food waste prevention services across UK
Costa Coffee is expanding a partnership with an anti-food-waste app to offer customers the chance to purchase surplus food from more than 1,100 stores across the UK, having saved 250 tonnes of carbon emissions through the existing collaboration.
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.
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.
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.
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.
What makes a sustainability leader? Meet circular economy innovators, P&G
With less than a month until the 2021 Sustainability Leaders Awards, this feature series showcases the achievements of the 2020 winners and reveals their secrets to success. Up next: The winners of the Circular Economy Innovation of the Year, Procter & Gamble.
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.
#SustyTalk: London Waste and Recycling Board's Wayne Hubbard on the circular economy during Covid-19
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with an exclusive interview with the London Waste and Recycling Board's chief execiutive Wayne Hubbard.
In numbers: What is the environmental impact of Christmas?
Christmas is said to be the most wonderful time of the year - but it's also the most wasteful. With less than a week left until the big day, edie rounds up some of the most shocking environmental statistics for the season.
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.
What makes a sustainability leader? Meet waste management champions Marston's and UKWSL
With the 2021 Sustainability Leaders Awards approaching, this new feature series showcases the achievements of the 2020 winners and reveals their secrets to success. Up next: The winners of the Waste and Resource Management Project of the Year Award, Marston's and UKWSL.
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.
Japan Tobacco International commits to net-zero by 2030
Japan Tobacco International (JTI UK) has committed to reaching net-zero emissions in the next decade by procuring 100% renewable energy, transitioning its UK fleet to electric vehicles (EV) and diverting waste from landfill.
Podback: Coffee brands join forces on UK pod recycling scheme
Brands such as Nespresso, Nescafé Dolce Gusto and Tassimo have launched a new recycling initiative that aims to get the coffee sector collaborating on a simplistic way to enable consumers to recycle coffee pods in the UK.
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.
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.
Garnier launches shampoo bars with reduced environmental impact
L'Oreal brand Garnier is launching a new range of shampoo bars, packaged in 100% recyclable materials, that offer a 25% reduction in environmental impact compared to liquid shampoos.
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.
Hubbub and Coca-Cola launch on-street recycling scheme in Dublin
Environmental charity Hubbub and the Coca-Cola Foundation have launched a new on-street recycling initiative in Dublin, to increase public awareness and use of recycling infrastructure.
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.
Mission Possible: Achieving a green recovery for hospitality and leisure
edie's Mission Possible campaign has evolved to focus on the green recovery, with a new series of reports outlining the challenges that businesses in key sectors face in relation to the coronavirus pandemic, and the opportunities that the green recovery will bring. Up next, hospitality and leisure.
Nestle outlines plans to bring UK's first commercial scale chemical plastic recycling plant online
Nestle has partnered with a chemical plastic recycling company with two commercial-scale facilities online in Spain, in the hopes of developing a similar plant in the UK.
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).
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.
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.
