waste management
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Available to watch on demand: edie's single-use plastics business transformation webinar
Sustainability professionals seeking insight on reducing and eliminating single-use plastics can now watch a free webinar that took place Thursday 17 January at 2pm, featuring expert speakers from A Plastic Planet, Sky and Cranswick.
Sustainable Business Covered podcast: Advancing the plastics debate with Waitrose and Co-op
As part of a week of action on single-use plastics and the launch of edie's Plastics Hub, the Sustainable Business Covered podcast returns for 2019 with exclusive, plastic-focused interviews with sustainability experts at the Co-op, Surfers Against Sewage and Waitrose.
M&S removes plastic packaging and 'best-before' dates from produce
Retail giant Marks & Spencer (M&S) has begun trialling dozens of plastic-free fruit and vegetable lines without 'best-before' date stickers, in a bid to reduce consumer packaging and food waste outputs.
Lord Deben: Corporate action on plastic to 'evolve' beyond packaging
EXCLUSIVE: After two years of awareness-building and action on packaging sustainability, businesses must now approach the plastic waste crisis as a whole-systems issue, Committee on Climate Change (CCC) chairman Lord Deben has argued.
edie opens applications for 'Plastics Thinkathon' at Sustainability Leaders Forum
Sustainability, energy and resource efficiency professionals are being called upon to help businesses collectively solve the problem of plastics pollution by taking part in a unique 'Plastics Thinkathon' on the sidelines of edie's Sustainability Leaders Forum in London next month.
Business giants commit $1bn to launch Alliance to End Plastic Waste
Major companies from across the plastics value chain, including Procter & Gamble (P&G), Veolia and ExxonMobil, have today (16 January) committed more than $1bn (£777m) as part of a new alliance aimed at eliminating plastic waste in the environment.
Ocean Rescue: How Sky's plastics campaign has ignited a wave of transformation
EXCLUSIVE: Two years on from the launch of its global campaign to educate and inspire the public and businesses to phase-out single-use plastics, Sky's head of Sky Ocean Rescue Fiona Ball sits down with edie to discuss the transformational impacts the project has had both inside and outside of the company.
UK's first national recycling scheme launched for contact lenses
Consumer goods giant Johnson & Johnson has teamed up with Boots Opticians and recycling firm Terracycle to launch the first UK-wide recycling scheme for contact lenses and their packaging.
edie launches Mission Possible Plastics Hub to help businesses solve plastic pollution
edie has today (15 January) launched the Mission Possible Plastics Hub - a brand-new, content-driven campaign that will support sustainability and resource efficiency professionals on our collective mission to eliminate single-use plastics.
Are brands ready to turn their plastics ambitions into actions?
Like plastics, talk is cheap. The world's largest businesses are continuously committing to various plastic phase-outs, but the time is now to move the dial and turn ambitions into action - and edie is here to help.
A Plastic Planet: Businesses must do more than recycle to stay relevant
EXCLUSIVE: In an era of unprecedented consumer demand for plastic-free packaging and products, companies making their offerings recyclable are no longer doing enough - they must radically transform their business models to stay relevant and retain consumer trust.
Lush to open UK's first plastic-free cosmetics store in Manchester
Health and beauty brand Lush has unveiled plans to open its first plastic-free shop in the UK this week, following the success of its 'naked' stores in Germany and Italy.
Defra launches £5m food redistribution scheme to help businesses slash waste
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has today (11 January) launched a new £5m scheme aimed at helping UK businesses to redistribute surplus food and minimise their food waste outputs.
Crunch time for crisp makers as EU waste targets loom
The European Commission has set an EU-wide objective for all packaging to be recyclable or reusable by 2030. But crisp packets are a particular headache for policymakers and the recycling industry because they are so small and lightweight.
Canary Wharf Group launches AI-based app to help spur plastics action
London-based property giant Canary Wharf Group (CWG) has launched a smartphone app which uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning to encourage visitors to its estate to minimise their plastic waste footprint.
How can we turn the Blue Planet effect into impactful behaviour change?
In the UK, we have seen a growing public debate about the impact our lives have on the environment largely driven by the debate on single-use plastics, but how can we turn this awareness into impactful behaviour change?
Swindon eyes up ground-breaking facility that recycles 'all plastic'
Swindon Borough Council has today (7 January) announced that it is working on plans to deliver an advanced recycling facility for practically all plastics, including crisp packets and plastic film.
Iceland collects more than 300,000 plastic bottles in reverse vending trial
Frozen food retailer Iceland has unveiled the results of its trial of an in-store deposit return scheme for plastic bottles, revealing that the scheme has captured more than 300,000 bottles since its launch in May 2018.
Sky and Cranswick confirmed for edie's single-use plastics webinar
edie is bringing together a selection of leading retailers, manufacturers and circular economy experts for a special one-hour webinar taking place on Thursday 17 January to discuss how business can collaborate, innovate and actuate to eliminate single-use plastics.
Food waste chief to target 'scandal' of 250 million binned UK meals
The Government has appointed a food waste champion to tackle the problem of 250 million meals being thrown away in the UK each year.
From puddings to packaging: Inside the UK's Christmas waste problem
It's the most wonderful time of the year - and also one of the most wasteful. With Christmas less than a week away, edie rounds-up some of the most shocking sustainability statistics of the festive season.
WRAP: UK fashion industry moving quickly to improve environmental footprint of clothing
The UK's fashion industry is moving at a pace to reduce carbon emissions and water waste within its supply chains, although far slower progress is being made on research efficiency, new research from WRAP has concluded.
Ribena to launch lightweight bottles made from 100% recycled plastic
Soft drinks firm Lucozade Ribena Suntory (LRS) is set to launch a lightweight redesign of its Ribena bottles in the new year, in a bid to further reduce its plastic output.
Resources and Waste Strategy: Green business community reacts
In the newly-launched Resources and Waste Strategy, Defra has pledged to make producers pay for the full costs of recycling or disposing the packaging they produce. But how has this commitment, alongside the Strategy's other key measures, been met by members of the green community?
Waitrose targets glitter phase-out by 2020
Waitrose has pledged to phase out glitter from its own-label cards, wrap, crackers, tags, flowers and plants, as part of plans to reduce the impact of plastics on the environment.
Supermarket shoppers urged to serve 'wonky' Christmas dinner
Supermarkets have increased their efforts to reduce the national food waste mountain at Christmas by offering shoppers edible produce nearing the end of its shelf life, as well as "wonky" sprouts, carrots and parsnips.
Landsec leads industry-wide coffee cup recycling scheme
Property developer Landsec has joined forces with a group of national coffee retailers including Costa Coffee to "dramatically" increase the amount of coffee cups recycled in the UK.
Danone partners with Ecosurety to reduce reliance on export packaging recovery notes
Consumer goods giant Danone's UK arm has partnered with waste compliance organisation Ecosurety in a bid to improve the nation's recycling infrastructure and boost transparency around its resource and waste management efforts.
England stays in 'doldrums' as recycling rates inch forward
England's household recycling rates have increased by 0.3% to 45.2% in 2017, the latest Government statistics have revealed.
Aldi switches to 100% recyclable pizza discs
Discount supermarket Aldi has introduced fully recyclable pizza discs across its entire range, as part of the supermarket's aim to ensure all own-label product packaging is 100% recyclable by 2022.
Costa: PRN reform, not latte levy, needed to tackle coffee cup waste
A reform to the UK's Producer Responsibility Obligation (PRO) framework and Packaging Recovery Note (PRN) system would accelerate the shift to a circular economy more effectively than a 'latte levy', Costa's energy & environment manager Oliver Rosevear has claimed.
UK's first national crisp packet recycling scheme launched by Walkers
The UK’s largest crisp brand has this week launched a UK-wide crisp packet recycling scheme, after partnering with TerraCycle to develop a recycling solution for the packaging.
Hubbub to launch third waste-cleaning boat as part of UK 'plastic fishing' tour
Environmental charity Hubbub has unveiled plans to launch its third waste-cleaning boat made from recycled plastic, after partnering with media giant Mirror Group to launch a nationwide "plastic fishing" tour.
Confectionary giant strengthens packaging commitments
The snack manufacturing company behind brands such as McVitie's and Jacob's has today (7 December) joined WRAP's UK Plastics Pact, committing itself to making all plastic packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.
Government pledges £60m to spur development of bioplastic innovations
The UK Government has today (5 December) unveiled plans to invest £60m in projects aimed at developing closed-loop bioplastics made from industrial or post-consumer food waste.
How Kellogg Europe is targeting a sector-wide shift to sustainable packaging
EXCLUSIVE: As consumer and investor demand for sustainable packaging rises, companies within the global food and drink sector must co-create solutions to resource efficiency and recycling infrastructure challenges with their competitors, consumers and supply chains.
Maximising the power of Energy-from-Waste: edie launches free business guide
Organisations seeking to capitalise on the sustainability benefits offered by Energy-from-Waste (EfW) now have access to a new edie Explains guide which breaks down everything you need to know about deploying EfW solutions across business operations.
Coca-Cola European Partners inks deal to purchase 100% recycled PET
Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) has entered a supply agreement with Loop Industries to purchase 100% recycled PET (rPET) plastic to boost the use of recycled materials in its bottles.
Costa launches reusable coffee cup with contactless payment technology
On-the-go food and drink giant Costa Coffee is stocking a reusable coffee cup with a contactless payment chip across its UK stores, in a bid to incentivise customers to reduce their takeaway cup consumption.
High-street fashion giants urge viscose suppliers to bolster sustainability
A group of big-name fashion retailers including H&M, ASOS and Inditex are urging their suppliers to take ambitious action to make their viscose processing methods more sustainable, after an investigation found that many were dumping toxic wastewater in waterways and fisheries.
In numbers: The growing consumer demand for sustainable packaging
A new survey of 7,000 consumers across seven European markets garnering their views on plastic packaging, packaging recyclability and related green policies has been published. Here, edie rounds up the key facts and figures.
Merlin Entertainments begins single-use plastic phase out, starting with straws
The Legolands, Sea Life and Madame Tussauds operator has launched a review into the sale and distribution of single-use plastic items across its global estate, pledging a removal of plastic straws from its operations by the end of 2018.
Report: Tyres and synthetic clothes 'big cause of microplastic pollution'
Vehicle tyres and synthetic clothing are the two leading contributors to microplastic pollution from UK households, according to a new report from Friends of the Earth.
UK businesses target resource productivity through 'waste to wealth' commitment
A group of more than 40 major businesses including Unilever, Sky, Iceland and PwC have signed a new "waste to wealth" commitment that aims to double the UK's resource productivity by 2030.
Business transparency needed to help consumers overcome the 'plastics fear'
Coca-Cola's new European sustainability director believes that honest and transparent conversations will help businesses change consumer perceptions on the use of plastics, which in turn will catalyse a movement towards a "world without waste".
Tetra Pak partners with Veolia to improve recyclability of beverage carton components
Packaging giant Tetra Pak has partnered with global resource and waste management firm Veolia to develop technologies and infrastructure that will enable all components of beverage cartons to be recycled within the European Union (EU).
Plastics Pact Roadmap unveiled as campaigners condemn high-street plastic action
A roadmap to help UK businesses tackle the global plastic waste problem has been published, on the same day that research has claimed that British supermarkets are still not doing enough to reduce their plastic footprint.
The challenges have been set, now business must rise to them
In the food business, Mission Possible should really be 'Mission Necessary'. We'll have to feed nearly 10 billion people by 2050. And we'll have to do so without destroying the natural resources on which food production depends.
Retailers to pay up to £1bn for recycling under waste strategy
Supermarkets, retailers and major drinks brands are set to pay tens of millions of pounds more towards recycling their used packaging under the government's new waste strategy expected to be published this month, the Guardian understands.
ATP unveils sweeping plastic phase-outs for Nitto Tennis Finals in London
The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) has unveiled new measures aimed at reducing the plastic waste footprint of its Nitto Tennis Finals event in London this month, in a bid to host its "most sustainable" tournament to date.
University of Leeds unveils plan to become 'plastic-free' by 2023
The University of Leeds and Leeds University Union have pledged to eliminate all single-use plastic items, including coffee cups, disposable cutlery and straws, from their operations by 2023.
Princes stops using export packaging recovery notes
Food and drinks giant Princes has funnelled around £750,000 into projects improving the UK's recycling infrastructure since the start of 2018, after refusing to use export packaging recovery notes (PRNs).
Royal College of Physicians achieves Carbon Trust Standard certification
The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has been recognised for recording a 30% reduction in its carbon footprint over a three-year period by becoming the first royal college to receive the Carbon Trust Standard certification.
Colgate to launch recycling scheme for oral health products
Health and beauty giant Colgate Palmolive has unveiled plans to launch a recycling scheme for empty toothpaste tubes, used toothbrushes and dental floss containers in the US and the UK.
Glasgow unveils ambition to become Scotland's first 'circular city'
Glasgow City Council has this week outlined a plan to become Scotland's first "circular city", by reducing its domestic and commercial waste footprint and implementing measures to encourage reuse and recycling.
Apple unveils 'greenest Mac ever'
Apple has this week launched its latest MacBook product which has been hailed as the 'greenest ever' by the tech giant.
Scotland's cities can unlock £1bn circular economy boon, says report
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has urged Scotland's largest cities to transform waste processes and operations to capture a £1bn economic growth opportunity highlighted by a new Zero Waste Scotland report, released today (31 October).
Latte levy: Was the Chancellor right to reject a tax on disposable cups?
A major talking point of yesterday's Autumn Budget was the Chancellor's decision to rule out a latte levy on disposable cups. Here, edie investigates the extent to which such a proposal could have provided a much-needed boost to the UK's coffers and helped policymakers drive a resource-efficient economy.
Tesco and Nestlé pledge to tackle impact of abandoned plastic fishing gear
Supermarket giant Tesco and consumer goods firm Nestlé have today (30 October) joined a coalition of businesses, non-profits and public sector bodies which have pledged to tackle the 640,000 tonnes of fishing gear abandoned in the world's oceans each year.
PepsiCo to use 25% recycled content in plastics packaging by 2025
Beverage giant PepsiCo has revamped its approach to plastics by pledging to use 25% recycled content in plastic packaging by 2025 and working with suppliers and partners to advocate for improved recycling infrastructure and policy across the globe.
Business giants join Ellen MacArthur Foundation's global commitment to eradicate plastics pollution
Business giants, financial investors, non-profit organisations and national Governments have vowed to eradicate plastic waste and pollution, as part of a new Global Commitment spearheaded by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
European parliament approves sweeping ban on single-use plastics
The European Parliament has overwhelmingly backed a wide-ranging ban on single-use plastics in an effort to tackle pollution in seas, fields and waterways.
Unilever partners with Veolia to create circular economy for plastic packaging
Consumer goods giant Unilever has today (24 October) agreed a partnership with waste management Veolia, which will see the companies work together to develop innovative solutions to the plastic waste crisis.
HP and Ikea join commitment to create global supply chain for ocean-bound plastics
HP and Ikea have joined a business consortium committed to incorporating ocean-bound plastics in new packaging and product materials by developing the first global supply chain for plastics that are seeping into the oceans.
Costa and Premier Inn unveil plan to phase-out plastic straws
Hospitality giant Whitbread has announced that it will begin removing plastic straws from its Costa Coffee stores and Premier Inn hotels from November 2018.
Plastic recycling industry's problems costing councils up to £500,000 a year
Major problems in the plastic recycling industry are costing local councils in England up to £500,000 extra a year, as they struggle to deal with the continuing fallout from import bans imposed by countries who are no longer able to take the UK's waste.
UK plastics recycling industry under investigation for fraud and corruption
The plastics recycling industry is facing an investigation into suspected widespread abuse and fraud within the export system amid warnings the world is about to close the door on UK packaging waste, the Guardian has learned.
IHG commits to global phase-out of plastic straws
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced that it will remove plastic straws from its global estate of more than 5,400 hotels by the end of 2019.
Tesco removes fruit and veg 'best before' dates
The UK's largest supermarket has revealed plans to remove "best before" dates from more than 100 of its fruit and vegetable lines, as it strives to meet a target to halve its food waste output by 2025.
Walkers to launch UK's first crisp packet recycling scheme
The UK's biggest crisp brand Walkers has unveiled plans to launch a nationwide crisp packet recycling scheme, following months of consumer protests against its hard-to-recycle packaging.
MPs call on fashion brand chief executives to disclose environmental impacts
In a letter to the chief executives of ten of Britain’s largest fashion retailers, including Primark, Next and Marks and Spencer (M&S), the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has called for big-name fashion brands to disclose the full extent of their environmental and social impacts.
Why Co-op hasn't signed up to the UK Plastics Pact
EXCLUSIVE: The Co-op is one of the two major supermarkets yet to commit to WRAP's collaborative agreement to tackle single-use plastics, but the company's environment manager Iain Ferguson believes that an "enterprising" approach to innovation will enable the retailer to rethink approaches to packaging.
CitiPark discounts parking costs in exchange for plastic bottles
Car park operator CitiPark has announced that it will trial a reverse vending system in its flagship facility in Leeds, offering customers discounted parking rates for bringing in plastic bottles.
London Mayor urged to eliminate single-use plastic packaging from capital
Members of the Environment Committee have urged London Mayor Sadiq Khan to sign the capital up to WRAP's UK Plastics Pact, amid growing public concerns around plastic pollution.
Currys PC World pioneers home collection of used batteries
Currys PC World is set to start collecting end-of-life batteries from customers' homes when it delivers new appliances, as part of a campaign to stop Brits from hoarding used batteries.
Government unveils new £15m scheme to tackle retail food waste
The UK Government has today (1 October) announced that it will spend £15m on a new initiative aimed at redistributing almost £1bn worth of food waste from supermarkets, other retailers and manufacturers.
In numbers: the UK public's attitudes towards recycling
Last September, consultancy Britain Thinks surveyed more than 2,000 UK adults on attitudes across a spectrum of questions relating to packaging, recycling and the circular economy. With the survey results released on Friday (28 September), edie rounds-up the key findings.
Aldi continues phase-out of non-recyclable plastics
Discount supermarket Aldi is switching a range of its cooked meat from non-recyclable packaging to clear, recyclable alternatives in a move that is set to save more than 1,000 tonnes of plastic annually.
Tesco offers money for plastic bottles in reverse vending trials
Tesco has announced that it will trial in-store reverse vending machines for plastic bottles, as it calls on the UK Government to introduce a nation-wide approach to recycling.
Lucozade Ribena Suntory trials giant bottle-shaped bins to improve recycling
Soft drinks manufacturer Lucozade Ribena Suntory has announced a new partnership with facilities operator Sports and Leisure Management (SLM) to trial giant bottle-shaped recycling points at gyms and leisure centres in the UK.
Inside Unilever's plastics packaging strategy
EXCLUSIVE: Unilever's chief R&D officer David Blanchard has outlined the company's three-pillar approach to improving the recyclability of its product packaging, focusing on "less", "better" and "no plastics" solutions.
UK business giants commit to 'world-first' Roadmap to halve food waste
Some of the UK's largest supermarkets, hospitality firms and food and drink manufacturers have committed to a "world-first" initiative from WRAP to halve food waste by measuring and acting on wastage levels across a "farm-to-fork" approach.
Co-op switches to compostable bags as it pledges to eliminate single-use plastics
The Co-op has revealed it will swap around 60 million plastic carrier bags with compostable alternatives that can be used as food waste caddy liners, as part of a wider goal to "remove" single-use plastics from its product offerings.
Lidl to stop using black plastic fruit and vegetable packaging
Lidl UK says it will remove black plastic from its entire fruit and vegetable range by the end of the month.
UK Parliament to replace single-use plastic items with compostable alternatives
The UK Parliament will replace single-use plastic cutlery, coffee cups and lids, drinking straws and containers with compostable alternatives that will be treated at a specialist waste facility.
Report: Consumer demand for recycled packaging outpacing corporate action
More than half (55%) of the UK population believe that all plastic bottles should contain at least 50% recycled content, while the average proportion used by corporates currently stands at just 15%.
Lord Deben: Businesses must avoid 'knee-jerk' plastic phase-outs
Committee on Climate Change (CCC) chairman Lord Deben has urged companies to avoid making "knee-jerk" decisions on plastics packaging, warning that "reactionary" choices to consumer demands could lead to unintended environmental consequences.
Data-driven 'Plastics Cloud' launched to combat plastics waste
Software firm SAP UKI has unveiled plans to collect live data from supply chains as part of a "Plastics Cloud" pilot aimed at improving plastics purchasing and recycling.
Marston's achieves zero-waste-to-landfill goal
Pub chain and brewer Marston's has revealed that it has hit its 2020 zero-waste-to-landfill goal two years ahead of schedule, after sending more than three-quarters (77%) of its waste to be recycled this year.
Waitrose to use home-compostable bags in produce aisles and phase-out 5p carrier bags
Waitrose & Partners has announced that it will stop offering single-use plastic bags in its fruit and vegetable aisles and remove 5p carrier bags from its stores, a move that will cut its plastic usage by 134 million bags each year.
Single-use plastic bottles banned from half marathon in London
The capital’s first marathon event pledging to be completely free of “single-use” plastic drinks bottles is to take place in north-west London.
Meet the Sustainability Leader: TerraCycle, P&G and SUEZ - Sustainable Supply Chains
With entries closing this week for edie's revamped 2019 Sustainability Leaders Awards, this new feature series will showcase the achievements of the 2018 winners, revealing their secrets to success. Up next: our 2018 Sustainable Supply Chains winners, TerraCycle, P&G and SUEZ.
Iceland ditches plastic for pre-packed bananas
Frozen food retailer Iceland is switching the packaging for its pre-packed bananas from plastic to a paper band that is 100% recyclable and made from recycled paper, in a move that will save 10 million plastic bags from being used by the company annually.
SUEZ calls for extended producer responsibility system to spark 'waste revolution'
Waste and resource management firm SUEZ has called on the UK Government to extend its existing Producer Responsibility Obligation (PRO) framework and raise the cost of Packaging Recovery Notes (PRNs) to accelerate the shift to a circular economy.
H&M Foundation opens 'Garment-to-Garment' recycling plant in circular fashion drive
Fashion retailer H&M's charitable arm, the H&M Foundation, has this week opened a hydrothermal textile recycling plant as the company strives to become "truly circular" by 2030.
Drinks giants back calls to eliminate plastic packaging waste by 2030
Soft drinks firms such as Danone Waters and Lucozade Ribena Suntory have thrown their weight behind a study which calls for a zero-waste-to-landfill plastic packaging value chain by 2030.
Amey to work with prison to recycle more than 130,000 televisions annually
Waste management firm Amey has formed a partnership with HMP Dovegate in a bid to recycle more than 130,000 televisions each year while reducing reoffending rates.
Burberry to stop burning unsold products as part of resource efficiency drive
Luxury fashion brand Burberry has announced it will stop destroying products deemed unsaleable with immediate effect, just months after it was revealed that the brand had burned more than £28m worth of stock over the past 12 months.
'Snap Packs' and greener ink: Carlsberg unveils new packaging solutions designed to reduce waste
Danish brewer Carlsberg is set to reduce its global packaging waste by more than 1,200 tonnes annually, after launching new Snap Pack multi-packs for branded beers alongside a host of other closed-loop packaging renovations.
Veolia to trial electric bin lorries powered by energy-from-waste
Waste management firm Veolia’s vehicle fleet is set to include two fully-electric bin lorries, which will be charged with power derived from waste collected by the company.
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