waste management
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Heathrow Airport champions coffee cup recycling in 2018 sustainability update
EXCLUSIVE: Heathrow will recycle all disposable coffee cups that are sold and discarded onsite by the end of the year, the Airport's chief executive John Holland-Kaye announced during an edie webinar today (23 April).
Theresa May outlines plan to ban plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds
Prime Minister Theresa May has announced that a consultation will take place later this year to prepare England for a national ban on plastic straws, drink stirrers and plastic-stemmed cotton buds.
Costa aims to lead industry transformation with pledge to recycle half a billion coffee cups
EXCLUSIVE: Costa Coffee's energy & environment manager Oliver Rosevear has said the retailer wants to drive cross-industry collaboration on coffee cup recycling, as it today (18 April) makes a bold commitment to recycle the equivalent of its entire annual sales of takeaway cups – at a financial cost to the business.
Sky and National Geographic join forces in fight against marine plastic pollution
Global broadcasters Sky and National Geographic have teamed up to drive a global media campaign to reduce plastic litter in the ocean.
Waitrose to remove disposable coffee cups from stores by autumn
Waitrose has ramped up its efforts to tackle plastic waste with a pledge to remove all disposable coffee cups from its shops before the end of 2018.
Drop in plastic bags littering British seas linked to introduction of 5p charge
A big drop in plastic bags found in the seas around Britain has been credited to the introduction of charges for plastic bags across Europe.
Waitrose builds on plastics pledge by switching to paper straws in cafes
Waitrose has revealed it will build on a commitment to stop selling packs of single-use plastics straws later this year, by replacing all plastic straws used in its onsite cafes with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper alternatives.
Co-op unveils 50% recycled plastic bottles for own-brand water
The Cop-op has announced that all of its own-brand water bottles will be switched to contain 50% recycled plastic, as part of a plan to "test the water" on how shoppers will react to a change in design.
In Practice: The 'world-first' closed-loop glass recycling facility
Knauf Insulation's aim to ensure that recycled contents are embedded into the products it manufactures has seen the company strike a long-term partnership with waste specialists Veolia to create a closed-loop system for glass waste.
McDonald's unveils plan to phase-out plastic straws
McDonald's will start phasing out plastic straws from UK restaurants from May, with the fast food giant ready to trial paper and biodegradable alternatives in response to consumer demand.
Charity calls for £15m fund to tackle UK hunger by preventing food waste
The government is being urged to introduce a £15m fund to tackle hunger by preventing food which could be eaten from going straight into landfill, animal feed or anaerobic digestion.
'Unanswered questions': Green community reacts to the UK's deposit return scheme plans
With the headlines dominated by the Government's proposals for a national deposit return scheme, edie has enlisted the insights of industry experts to gauge their thoughts on whether the move will boost the UK's resource efficiency prospects.
Government unveils vision for national deposit return scheme
The Government will aim to crack down on plastic pollution with a deposit return scheme in England for single-use drinks containers.
Starbucks pledges £7m to develop coffee cup solutions
Starbucks has declared a "moon shot for sustainability" by unveiling a £7m funding challenge to develop recyclable and compostable coffee cups, as well as agreeing to new "bean to cup" traceability technology to improve sourcing practices.
Ocado publishes near-zero food waste figures
Online supermarket Ocado has published near-zero food waste figures, believed to be the lowest in the industry.
Plastic packaging a 'policy failure', claims Sainsbury's boss
Sainsbury's chief executive Mike Coupe says Britain's plastic waste crisis has been exacerbated by a "failure of public policy" and is calling for a more unified approach to recycling.
Are businesses thinking about the SDGs when targeting plastics?
The recent wave of pledges against single-use plastic could lead to unintended consequences due to a lack of cross-sector alignment that is failing to examine the role of packaging in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
West End rolls out mobile coffee cup recycling points
Westminster street sweepers will become mobile coffee cup recycling points in a new scheme aimed at driving resource efficiency in the capital.
Adidas sold one million pairs of ocean plastic trainers in 2017
Sportswear giant Adidas has revealed that it sold more than one million pairs of trainers made from 95% ocean plastic last year.
Microplastics found in more than 90% of bottled water, study says
A new analysis of some of the world's most popular bottled water brands says more than 90% contain tiny pieces of plastic.
Financial incentives for recyclability the way forward, says Co-op
A fiscal system that rewards recyclability and labelling, coupled with reducing the range of polymers available for use, would enable retailers and waste management firms to better tackle the rise of plastics pollution, according to the Co-op's environment manager Iain Ferguson.
Veolia opens 'world-first' closed-loop glass recycling facility
A new £10m high-tech recycling facility which turns glass into insulation has been hailed as a "real boost" for the UK's circular economy.
Lidl UK exploring deposit return scheme as part of plastic waste commitment
Lidl UK has today (9 March) unveiled a package of new commitments to reduce plastic waste, including plans to remove all single-use plastic bags, reduce the quantity of plastic packaging by one-fifth and consider a deposit return scheme for plastic containers.
'Warm words, no action': Government rejects 25p 'latte levy' proposal
MPs have criticised the Government's refusal to introduce a 25p levy on all disposable cups, with ministers accused of providing "warm words but no real action".
Aldi unveils sweeping measures to slash plastics waste
Discount chain Aldi will scrap 5p carrier bags by the end of this year and ensure all packaging on its own-label is reusable, recyclable or compostable before 2022.
Report: UK overestimates plastics recycling by one-third
The UK is significantly underestimating the amount of plastics packaging waste produced across the country, according to new research.
The big plastics debate: Industry must be fearless in zero-waste pursuit, Iceland claims
Iceland said it would not be afraid to make mistakes when tackling the issue of plastics waste, during a unique panel debate also featuring Co-op, Marks and Spencer (M&S) and Coca-Cola.
First plant-based plastic Lego pieces to go on sale
The first Lego pieces made from plant-based plastic sourced from sugar cane will go on sale this year, the company has announced.
Harrogate Water bottles to contain 50% recycled content
Britain's oldest water brand, Harrogate Water, has stepped up its plastic efforts with the announcement that all products will contain 50% recycled content from April 2018.
Government 'dragging its feet' over deposit return scheme for plastics, MPs claim
The UK Government is exploring how changes to packaging producer responsibilities and a deposit return scheme for plastic bottles and containers would be implemented in the UK, but the lack of action has been described as "unacceptable" by the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC).
Starbucks trials 5p paper cup charge
Starbucks has today (26 February) announced a 5p surcharge trial on paper cups in select London stores in a bid to help reduce waste and encourage the uptake of reusable cups.
Plastics and packaging: The UK's 'waste mountain' in charts
Eighteen environmental groups have urged the UK Government to deal with a growing "packaging waste mountain" by setting legally binding targets, following new waste and recycling figures published by Defra. Here, edie provides a snapshot of the UK's "waste mountain".
MPs query Government's delay on plastics tax consultation
MPs have questioned the whereabouts of a consultation on single-use plastics first proposed by the Chancellor in last year's Autumn Budget.
Glastonbury Festival to ban water bottles from 2019
Glastonbury Festival is undergoing an "enormous project" to create a site-wide ban on plastic water bottles when it returns in 2019.
Church of England and ClientEarth give up plastics for Lent
The Church of England has provided worshippers with a calendar of tips to avoid using single-use plastic during Lent, with MPs and environmental law firm ClientEarth also agreeing to the pledge.
London Assembly: Energy-from-Waste a 'last resort' option
A report which claims that London should seek to limit the amount of materials it sends to Energy-from-Waste (EfW) has been met by a mixed response from members of the sustainability community.
Mothercare and Hubbub expand baby clothing redistribution scheme nationwide
A pilot between environmental charity Hubbub and Mothercare to redistribute baby clothing is being expanded nationwide, after more than 20,000 items of clothing were allocated to around 2,000 families last year.
Morrisons follows rivals in pledge to phase out single-use plastic bags
Morrisons has become the last of the big four UK supermarket chains to commit to remove 5p single-use plastic carrier bags from its stores.
Michael Gove spearheads MP group pledging to plastics phase-out
More than 100 MPs, including Environment Secretary Michael Gove, have pledged to reduce single-use plastic consumption within their local constituencies, after committing to Sky Ocean Rescue's #PassOnPlastic pledge.
Asda joins wave of supermarkets pledging to cut plastic waste
Asda has become the latest supermarket to join the war against plastic by pledging to reduce it "wherever" it can, including slashing the amount in its own-brand packaging by 10% in the next 12 months.
London City Airport implements plastic straw ban
London City Airport has become the first airport in the UK to place an outright ban on plastic straws across food and drink outlets on its premises, instead obliging outlets to use biodegradable straws available on request.
Plastics now a 'competitive issue' for business, CIWM chief warns
EXCLUSIVE: Eliminating unnecessary uses of plastic from production and supply chains is quickly becoming a "competitive issue" for businesses, with the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management's (CIWM) chief executive Dr Colin Church urging companies not to wait for legislation.
Aldi pledges to halve food waste by 2030
The UK's fastest growing supermarket Aldi has pledged to reduce its operational food waste by 50% by 2030, after joining the Champions 12.3 coalition.
Co-op goes plastic free for own-brand teabags
In the latest example of business attempting to combat plastic pollution, the Co-op has become the first retailer to develop a fully-biodegradable paper tea bag - removing all uses of polypropylene plastic as a result.
Water firms back national scheme to cut plastic bottle use
The water industry has launched a national scheme today (25 January) to cut plastic bottle use by tens of millions each year, while increasing the availability of free drinking water.
UK opposes strong EU recycling targets despite plastics pledge
The UK government is opposing strong new recycling targets across the EU despite its recent pledge to develop "ambitious new future targets and milestones", confidential documents have revealed.
Circular economy takes centre stage at Davos
Plastic waste is high on the agenda in Davos this week, with a host of corporate giants including L'Oréal, Mars and Unilever making commitments on their approach to packaging.
Could China's import ban create a step change for UK recycling?
China's ban on the import of plastic and mixed paper waste raised fears that the UK would be plagued by mountains of waste, but amidst the hysteria the industry has been given the ideal platform to overhaul current recycling standards.
Evian aims for 100% recycled plastic bottles by 2025
French bottled water company Evian is the latest in a long line of brands to signal its intention to steer away from plastic waste, after announcing plans to produce bottles made from 100% recycled plastic by 2025.
McDonald's and Waitrose lead business charge against plastic waste
Fast food giant McDonald's and UK retailer Waitrose are the latest companies to publicly announce plans to tackle the growing issue of plastic waste, with McDonald's setting a 2025 commitment to boost the recyclability of its packaging and Waitrose reaffirming its packaging commitments that it made in 2017.
EU maps out plastics vision in new strategy
The European Commission presented on Tuesday (16 January) its eagerly anticipated strategy on how the EU intends to approach plastic production and pollution over the next decade and beyond.
Iceland pledges to remove plastic from own-brand packaging by 2023
Frozen food giant Iceland has committed to become the world's first major retailer to remove plastic packaging from its own brand products by 2023.
UK retailers see rise in sales of reusable coffee cups
Sales of reusable coffee cups are soaring in the UK, retailers are reporting, as the government hints at a tax on disposable cups.
Scotland pledges to ban plastic cotton buds
Scotland has unveiled plans to become the first UK country to ban the sale and manufacture of plastic stemmed cotton buds, in its latest bid to tackle marine plastics pollution.
25-year Environment Plan: Seven key talking points for sustainability professionals
With the dust settled on the launch of the Government's plan to improve the environment over a generation, edie has taken a look at seven key measures that could have the biggest impact on those in the sustainability and energy management community.
Tesco supports deposit return scheme for plastic packaging
Following Theresa May's declaration that all avoidable plastic waste will be eliminated in the next 25 years, UK supermarket retailer Tesco has announced its support for a "cost-effective" deposit return scheme on packaging.
25-year Environment Plan: Green business reaction
The Government has set out how it intends to enhance the UK's environment by creating richer habitats for wildlife, improving air and water quality and "curbing the scourge of plastic" in the world's oceans. But how have members of the green community reacted?
War on plastic waste to play central role in UK's 25-year Environment Plan
The Government will today unveil its plans to eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042, with proposals to include an extension of the 5p plastic bag charge and a tax on containers such as takeaway boxes.
25-year Environment Plan: UK unveils long-term strategy for 'greener future'
Theresa May has today outlined a vision for a "cleaner, greener Britain", unveiling the long-awaited 25-year Environment Plan which pledges to eliminate all "avoidable" plastic waste by the end of 2042.
Dell targets e-waste with recycled gold initiative
Fresh from incorporating ocean plastics into products, technology firm Dell has announced an industry pilot aimed at using recycled gold from discarded electronics in new computer motherboards.
'More needs to be done' as microbeads ban comes into force
A ban on the manufacture of certain products containing plastic microbeads has today (9 January) entered into force, although MPs and green groups have reiterated that more action is needed to tackle the global problem of plastic waste.
Starbucks trials 5p charge on disposable cups
In response to a group of MPs calling for a 25p 'latte levy' on disposable paper coffee cups, Starbucks has revealed that it will trial a 5p charge across select London stores.
H&M launches sportswear range made from recycled polyester
Clothing giant H&M has unveiled a new sportswear collection for women that is predominately made from recycled polyester, bringing the company closer to its goal of becoming truly circular by 2030.
Latte levy: MPs call for systems overhaul to recycle all disposable coffee cups
The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has called for all single-use coffee cups to be recycled by 2023, as a new report claims there is "no excuse" for the UK Government's reluctance to address coffee cup waste and that voluntary approaches from retailers are "not working".
Pret A Manger doubles reusable coffee cup discount
Pret A Manger has doubled its discount for customers who bring reusable cups into stores to 50p, in an effort aimed at reducing the amount of paper coffee cups that are discarded as waste.
MPs back plastic bottle deposit return scheme
The Environment Audit Committee (EAC) has today (22 December) urged the Government to launch a nationwide plastic bottle deposit return scheme and improve producer responsibility obligations.
London urged to address 'laughable' recycling rates
The London Assembly has called on Sadiq Khan to take a lead in increasing the capital's recycling rates, as damning figures highlight the sheer scale of the problem.
Long-term policies can help business capture €324bn circular economy opportunity
A new report has called on European Union (EU) institutions to promote resource efficiency beyond the completion of the Circular Economy Package, by learning from best practice scenarios that could add €324bn to the EU's economy by 2030.
Global e-waste climbs 8% in two years, but disposal discrepancies remain
More than 44 million metric tonnes of electronic waste were generated in 2016, but only 20% has been documented as being collected and recycled, a new report launched today (13 December) has found.
Starbucks targets a plastics circular economy to drive waste management
EXCLUSIVE: There is no "competitive leverage" to be gained by failing to work with rival brands to tackle ongoing waste issues regarding paper coffee cups and the wider use of plastics, Starbuck's vice president of corporate affairs Simon Redfern has claimed.
Dell spearheads global initiative to combat ocean plastics
Technology giant Dell is forming a collaborative initiative alongside General Motors and Interface to create the world's first commercial-scale supply chain for ocean-bound plastics, before they seep into waterways.
Nestlé to redistribute site-level food waste set aside for animal feed
A new initiative from Nestlé and food redistribution organisation Company Shop could increase the amount of food redistributed from UK operations by two million meals annually, by using site assessments to reduce waste at its source.
Hubbub's Community Fridge Network secures funding for national expansion
Environmental charity Hubbub's Community Fridge project to reduce the amount of food waste generated in the UK looks set for a national expansion, after the charity secured £160,000 in National Lottery funding.
Chinese ban on plastic waste imports could see UK pollution rise
A ban on imports of millions of tonnes of plastic waste by the Chinese government from January could see an end to collection of some plastic in the UK and increase the risk of environmental pollution, according to key figures in the industry.
WRAP names new Courtauld 2025 signatories as focus shifts to consumer waste
WRAP has announced the names of the 24 new signatories to its flagship Courtauld Commitment 2025 to boost sustainability in the food and drink sector, with a first-year review outlining plans to tackle consumer food waste in 2018.
Are developing nations the ideal testing ground for circular economy practices?
As UN ministers look set to create a taskforce to eradicate the 'ocean Armageddon' of plastic waste and foster growth of closed-loop systems, a new Chatham House briefing paper suggests that the circular economy would enable developing nations to "leapfrog" to more sustainable frameworks.
Household recycling rates stagnate with UK set to miss 2020 target
Experts are warning that the UK will miss out on its 2020 target for household recycling as the latest figures show that current rates in England have stagnated at under 45%.
Waste and renewables sectors call on UK to realise integrated energy system opportunity
Fulfiling the "significant opportunity" offered by the integration of readily available low-carbon technologies across the UK's energy system will require greater collaboration between the public and private sector.
France tops global food sustainability index
France has topped the rankings of an index which compares major countries on their actions to deliver food sustainability, thanks to its robust approach on food waste and agriculture.
Oceans under greatest threat in history, warns Sir David Attenborough
The world's oceans are under the greatest threat in history, according to Sir David Attenborough. The seas are a vital part of the global ecosystem, leaving the future of all life on Earth dependent on humanity's actions, he says.
Renault's electric van to lower operational costs for London food redistribution charity
Efforts to reduce food waste across London will now also combat the city's rising air pollution levels, after Renault UK agreed to provide an electric van to a charity food redistribution scheme.
Malmaison and Hotel du Vin to stop serving plastic straws
Malmaison and Hotel du Vin, the collection of boutique hotels, has announced it will stop serving plastic straws as a way to reduce waste across its 33 hotels.
Six million tonnes of waste could be 'left without a home' by 2030
The UK is likely to be left six million tonnes short of waste treatment capacity by 2030, according to a stark report which lays bare the "critical lack" of infrastructure to treat the nation's waste.
Co-op and Iceland back national plastic bottle deposit return scheme
Supermarket giants Iceland and the Co-op have given their backing to the introduction of a nationwide bottle deposit return scheme (DRS) to help reduce plastic pollution.
Wrap launches new industry guidelines for food date labels
Waste agency Wrap has today (29 November) unveiled a new date label guidance for food manufacturers and retailers to help tackle the amount of edible food discarded in UK homes.
New waste-to-energy park could power 10% of London homes
A London-based waste firm has revealed plans to build a £500m low-carbon energy park which could help power up to 10% of London's households by converting residual waste into green electricity.
In practice: James Cropper's upcycling solution for the coffee cup conundrum
Ahead of edie's flagship Sustainability Leaders Awards in January, edie is taking a closer look at some of the projects initiatives that have been deemed worthy of a finalist position by our expert judges. First up: James Cropper's upcycling system for paper cups.
Would a plastic tax help the UK become a world leader in resource efficiency?
A major talking point of yesterday's Autumn Budget was the Chancellor's decision to consult on the use of a tax for plastic packaging. But what are the realistic chances of the measure proving a success for both the environment and taxpayer?
UK environment department using 1,400 disposable coffee cups a day
More than 2.5m disposable cups have been purchased by the UK's environment department for use in its restaurants and cafes over the past five years - equivalent to nearly 1,400 a day.
Blockchain start-up unveils plastic offset scheme
A technology start-up has launched a new initiative for companies and families to calculate and offset annual "plastic footprints" by purchasing credits that support global projects that tackle plastic pollution.
Test-bed: Driving economic growth through a remanufacturing business model
Norwegian firm Norsk Ombruk has developed an innovative business model that remanufactures kitchen and bathroom equipment to offer high-performing electronic equipment at half the cost, all while driving the economy for resource-efficient practices.
Nearly half of all fresh potatoes thrown away daily by UK households
Nearly half of the edible fresh potatoes bought by UK householders each day are thrown away - nearly 2.7 million of them per day, and at a "staggering" annual cost of £230m, figures show.
Boat made from 99% recycled plastic to tackle waste along London's waterways
A boat made from recycled plastic waste will take its maiden voyage from London's Canary Wharf Docks today (2 November) as part of an awareness raising campaign about the rising levels of plastic pollution in British waterways.
P&G closes in on zero-waste and renewables targets
The Procter & Gamble (P&G) company has nearly doubled its renewable energy consumption in the past year thanks to a new $200m biomass facility, the consumer goods firm's latest citizenship report has revealed.
London has most food waste offenders in UK, survey shows
London residents are the biggest culprits of throwing away fruit and vegetables in the UK, according to a new study.
In practice: Landsec's BREEAM Outstanding headquarters designed to WELL standards
As more companies look to create the right work environments for staff wellbeing, Landsec created the UK's largest fully WELL Certified space for staff health, which also achieved a BREEAM Outstanding rating.
Waste organisations prepare to tackle a horror show on Halloween
Halloween weekend is upon us, and whether people plan on carving Pennywise the Clown into pumpkins or go trick or treating as Donald Trump, the waste sector is gearing up for its own modern-day horror story.
Sustainability Leaders Awards 2018 shortlist revealed!
After a record-breaking number of entries, the judging panel has met, the decisions have been made and edie is proud to reveal the finalists for the 2018 Sustainability Leaders Awards.
Tesco stocks green satsumas in drive to reduce food waste
Tesco has started selling "green" satsumas and clementines after relaxing its quality specifications in its latest attempt to reduce food waste.
EU packaging single market erosion risks opening 'Pandora's Box' of national regulations
Ahead of negotiations to finalise the revision of EU packaging waste legislation, the European packaging industry is calling for the free movement of packaged goods to be safeguarded.
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