waste management
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MPs outline support for 'all-in' deposit return system
A group of 20 MPs have signed a motion calling for all materials to be covered by a UK deposit return scheme for cups, bottles and containers to boost recycling rates.
New platform to help corporates forge circular economy partnerships
Environmental NGO BVRio has launched a new online platform connecting circular economy projects with corporates and impact investors, whose aim is to help small programmes scale-up and large organisations put sufficient finance behind their resource goals.
Starbucks reintroduces reusable cups to stores
Starbucks has stopped a temporary ban on reusable cups in stores that was introduced at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Microsoft vows to become a 'zero-waste' business by 2030
Microsoft has pledged to bring its direct waste footprint to zero within a decade, as part of a new resources strategy which will boost the recyclability of its devices and see plastic packaging phased out entirely.
UK targets 65% municipal waste recycling rates under EU's circular economy package
The UK Government has today (30 July) agreed to transpose aspects of the European Union's Circular Economy Package into UK law, agreeing on targets to recycle 65% of household waste by 2035 and to allow a maximum of 10% municipal waste going to landfill in the same timeframe.
Primark launches UK-wide fashion recycling scheme
Primark has installed take-back boxes for clothing, textiles, footwear and bags in all 190 of its UK stores, in a bid to reduce the amount of these items sent to landfill.
Amount of plastics in oceans will quadruple by 2040, major new research finds
The world's plastic pollution problem is vastly outpacing efforts to stop it, meaning that the volume of plastics in oceans globally will be four times higher in 2040 than in 2016, new research backed by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has concluded.
Mastercard unveils biodegradable, ocean-bound and recyclable plastics card drive
Mastercard has launched a new initiative to get its customers to switch to cards made from recycled, biodegradable and ocean plastics, in a bid to reduce the amount of excess plastic that is landfilled each year.
Report: Burning UK's non-recyclable waste could provide 'green' heat for half a million homes
The landfilling and exporting of non-recyclable waste from UK homes and businesses should be de-prioritised in favour of incineration, think tank Policy Connect has argued in a new report backed by Defra under-secretary Rebecca Pow.
Cathedral City launches UK-wide recycling scheme for cheese packaging
Cathedral City has partnered with TerraCycle to launch a UK-wide recycling scheme for its plastic cheese packaging, which is not currently collected by all local authorities at kerbside.
Report: Electronic waste up 21% in 5 years, with $57bn dumped annually
A record 53.6 million metric tonnes of electronic waste (e-waste) was generated globally in 2019, with the waste stream having increased by more than one-fifth since 2014.
O2 to install PPE recycling boxes in stores
Telecoms giant O2 will begin collecting used personal protective equipment (PPE) at UK stores this month, as part of a new partnership with Terracycle.
Report: Big-name brands failing to address plastic pollution crisis, despite improved pledges
A survey of 50 of the largest consumer-facing goods firms, including PepsiCo, Kraft Heinz and Kellogg, has found that companies are generally failing to take ambitious action on plastic pollution, despite lofty pledges to do so.
Hasbro launches UK-wide recycling scheme for plastic toys
Toy giant Hasbro has launched a UK-wide take-back and recycling scheme for toys, as part of its partnership with recycling firm TerraCycle.
WWF: Major consumer goods giants only sourcing 8% recycled plastics
McDonald's, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Keurig Dr Pepper and Procter & Gamble (P&G) collectively source 4.3 million metric tonnes of plastic annually, of which just 8% comes from recycled feedstocks.
Signify commits to plastic-free packaging by 2021
Lighting systems firm Signify has committed to becoming plastic-free for all consumer packaging by 2021, in a move that is also expected to reduce emissions for the business.
Andrex to use 30% recycled content in plastic packaging
British toiletries brand Andrex has confirmed that its packaging will consist of 30% recycled plastic content, as it pushes forward with an ambition to reach at least 50% recycled plastic content by 2023.
Aldi toilet wipes certified as 'fine to flush' by Water UK
Supermarket Aldi has confirmed that its range of moist toilet tissues and toddler toilet wipes have been certified by Water UK as safe to flush down the toilet, citing that they won't contribute to sewer blockages or environmental waste.
World's first plastic-free PPE equipment launched to combat coronavirus pandemic
The world's first plastic-free PPE protective equipment has been launched today by campaign group A Plastic Planet, in a bid to assist the fight against coronavirus without harming the natural environment.
Princes commits to no export waste
Food and drink firm Princes has committed to ensuring that all of its packaging is recycled and handled solely by UK re-processors, rather than exporting the waste abroad, to gain more certainty that its packaging is recycled or dealt with appropriately.
Ikea launches circular economy strategic partnership with Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Ikea is building on a commitment to becoming a fully circular business by 2030 by announcing a new strategic partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation that will focus on advocating for closed-loop home furnishing designs and methods to promote circular offers to customers.
Coffee shops sign up to post-lockdown reusable cup platform
Coffee shops from the likes of Costa and Boston Tea Party that are reopening across the UK are signing up to a new best-practice trial on accepting reusable coffee cups in a safe manner.
Dow targets industrial-scale mattress recycling initiative
Dow Polyurethanes, a business division of chemical giant Dow has announced plans to create an industrial-scale recycling facility in France to treat discarded mattress foam to be used in a range of applications.
edie launches new business guide to embracing the circular economy
Organisations looking to accelerate the transition to a circular economy now have access to a comprehensive 'edie explains' guide which breaks down everything there is to know about achieving a zero-waste world.
edie Explains: The circular economy
This new and updated edie Explains guide breaks down everything there is to know about achieving a circular economy for your business.
O2 targets e-waste with new Klyk partnership
O2 has agreed to a new partnership with technology refurbishment start-up Klyk to tackle the growing issue of electronic waste (e-waste) in the sector.
Iceland cuts food waste by 23%, aims for 50% reduction by 2030
Retailer Iceland has revealed it has reduced food waste by almost a quarter in the past two years, having reduced wastage by around 2,500 tonnes through redistribution schemes as the company targets a 50% reduction by 2030.
Today at 1pm: Circular Economy online event featuring Hubbub, Amcor and Canary Wharf Group
Sustainability professionals and circular economy experts from a range of organisations and businesses across the value chain are set to appear on edie's Circular Economy online event, taking place on Thursday 21 May.
#SustyTalk: Amcor's David Clark on strengthening the circular economy during lockdown
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with packaging firm Amcor's vice president for sustainability David Clark discussing the role of the circular economy as part of a green economic response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Viridor signs agreement on UK plastics chemical recycling initiative
Waste management firm Viridor has agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with chemical recycling company Plastic Energy to explore a system that treats non-recycled plastic waste using low-carbon electricity to create recycled plastic feedstocks.
Pernod Ricard moves single-use plastics phase-out forward to 2021
Beverage giant Pernod Ricard has moved a target to end the use of single-use plastic point-of-sale (POS) items forward four years, pledging to reach the ambition by 2021.
Superdrug ditches plastic from own-brand tampons
Superdrug has announced that it has removed plastics from its own-brand tampons and launched a new range of menstrual products made from organic and sustainably certified materials.
Dunkin' switches to plastic-free cups and plans to double number of green restaurants
US coffeehouse Dunkin' has confirmed that it has completed the replacement of all polystyrene foam cups to paper alternatives while also committing to double the number of energy efficient restaurants it owns in the next five years.
#SustyTalk: City to Sea's Rebecca Burgess on combatting single-use plastics during lockdown
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with not-for-profit campaigning organisation City to Sea's chief executive Rebecca Burgess discussing how the organisation is communicating with the public on the issue of single-use plastics during the coronavirus lockdown.
Greene King reaches zero-waste-to-landfill status
Greene King has become the first UK pub chain to achieve the Carbon Trust’s Zero Waste to Landfill Standard, after diverting all waste streams away from landfill across its 1,700 managed pubs.
Food retailers urged to disclose emissions from food loss and waste
A new report from thinktank Planet Tracker has called upon food retailers to start tracking and disclosing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with food wasted between farm and fork.
Coca-Cola and Pepsi falling short on pledges over plastic - report
Coca-Cola and Pepsi are not doing enough to reduce their plastic waste footprint globally, according to a report.
Ban on plastic straws in England pushed back to October 2020
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has pushed back the ban on plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds set to come into force later this month to October 2020, to the dismay of campaigners.
EU dismisses industry calls to lift ban on single-use plastics
Deadlines have to be respected, says the European Commission in response to calls by industry to lift an EU-wide ban on some single-use plastic items because of health and hygiene concerns raised during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Scientists report huge upswing in efficiency for enzyme-based plastic recycling solution
A breakthrough recycling method that using a novel enzyme to breakdown plastics and is backed by a consortium of global businesses including Lucozade Ribena Suntory and PepsiCo is a step closer to commercialisation following improvements to the breakdown process.
Government issues £3m grant to tackle food waste during coronavirus outbreak
The UK Government has issued a £3.25m redistribution fund across England to help organisations cut back on food waste by redistributing surplus stock during the coronavirus outbreak.
Coronavirus and plastics: Are we headed back towards single-use?
As the global economy struggles with the pressures of Covid-19, some industry groups are using the need for more protective equipment as a means to lobby for the removal of charges and bans on single-use plastics. edie explores why that cannot be allowed to happen.
'Burnt and dumped': Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Unilever and Nestlé plastics waste fuelling climate change
Four of the world's largest users of plastic packaging - Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Unilever and Nestlé - are responsible for half a million tonnes of plastic pollution that are burnt or dumped each year in six developing countries, creating emissions equivalent to adding two million cars onto roads.
Mondelez signs up to UK Plastics Pact and Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Global Commitment
Global chocolate producer Mondelēz International, which owns brands including Cadbury and Dairy Milk has signed up to two major initiatives to tackle plastics waste in the UK and globally.
Sustainable Business Covered podcast: A circular economy road trip
For episode 83 of the Sustainable Business Covered podcast, the edie team brings you four exclusive interviews with businesses innovating to bring about truly circular models - Elvis & Kresse, Teemill, Mulberry and Young Planet.
Patagonia and Surfdome trial removal of plastic polybags for clothes
Online sports retailer Surfdome has partnered with outdoor clothing firm Patagonia to trial the removal of plastic polybags from clothes orders in a way that doesn't impact product quality or generate an increase in lifecycle carbon emissions.
WRAP issues new guidance to target 3.6m tonnes of food wasted at farm level
WRAP has issued new guidance to help farmers and growers reduce the 3.6 million tonnes of food wasted on farms each year.
Houses and businesses connect to low-carbon heating network in Leeds
Households and businesses in Leeds are set to benefit from reduced energy bills and carbon emissions after being connected to a £36m district heating network that connects to the city's Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility (RERF).
McDonald's to ditch plastic Happy Meal toys
McDonald's UK and Ireland will remove plastic toys from its Happy Meals in 2021, after customers campaigned for plastic-free alternatives.
Biffa to halve emissions and quadruple plastics recycling under new strategy
Waste management firm Biffa has announced a new sustainability strategy that will aim to quadruple the group's plastics recycling capacity and halve its emissions by 2030.
MPs relaunch probe into the UK's electronic waste mountain
The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has re-launched its inquiry into how policymakers, businesses and the public can collaborate to tackle electronic waste - the world's fastest-growing domestic waste stream.
Starbucks trials compostable paper cups, places ban on reusables due to coronavirus
Starbucks has announced it will trial the use of recyclable and compostable paper cups in the UK, but has placed a ban on customers using personal re-usable cups due to concerns over the coronavirus.
University of Gloucestershire ditches paper in favour of digital-only prospectuses
The University of Gloucestershire has made the decision to end the production of printed prospectuses for students and will now only offer digital versions in a bid to reduce resource consumption.
Lifecycle approach required: Government's plastics policies could triple UK packaging emissions
The UK Government's ban on unnecessary single-use plastics could inadvertently triple the carbon emissions associated with packaging, unless policies are introduced to prioritise an "overall need to use less material" and to improve the energy efficiency associated with material production and recycling.
Danone Waters closes in on 100% recycled plastic and carbon-neutral goals in the UK
Danone has announced that Evian bottles will be made using 100% recycled plastics in the UK, while also achieving carbon neutrality in the UK for Evian and Volvic brands.
Ball Corporation achieves ASI certification and meets 100% renewables target
Aluminium packaging manufacturer Ball Corporation has been certified to Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) standards for environmental, social and governance impacts, while also revealing it is powering its operations in the UK, European Union (EU) and Serbia with 100% renewable electricity.
In numbers: The public's attitudes to plastics recycling and plastic-free packaging
As WRAP launches a new public awareness campaign on the recyclability and reusability of plastic packaging, edie explores the key behavioural barriers hampering a potentially circular economy for the material.
Plastic Leak Project launched to measure plastic pollution across corporate value chains
A new science-based metric has been produced by a range of public, private and scientific stakeholders that will enable businesses to conduct plastic leakage assessments to identify hotspot areas to combat the amount of plastic seeping into the natural environment.
Just Eat trials plastic-free takeaway boxes lined with seaweed
Just Eat will trial compostable takeaway boxes lined with seaweed at select London restaurants, a move which will prevent around 3,600 plastic boxes from entering the waste stream.
Andrex wet wipes certified as 'fine to flush' by Water UK
British toiletries brand Andrex has today (27 February) announced that its washlet wipes range has achieved Water UK's 'Fine to Flush' certification, which symbolises that flushing them won't contribute to damage to UK sewers.
Arsenal saves half a million single-use plastic cups from landfill
Friends of the Earth has called on sporting venues across the UK to promote reusable cup use, after Arsenal FC revealed that a scheme introduced at the Emirates Stadium has prevented more than half a million single-use plastic cups from being discarded.
McDonald's and Starbucks back 'smart' reusable cup trials in California
The cities of San Francisco and Palo Alto are set to trial "smart" reusable cup systems developed with support from McDonald's and Starbucks, in a bid to reduce the amount of single-use coffee cups that are being sent to landfill.
Why 2020 is the year of the collaborative circular economy
"The moment of crisis has come. We can no longer prevaricate." Naturalist and veteran broadcaster Sir David Attenborough pulled no punches in a recent BBC interview. If we are to keep global warming below 1.5C, greenhouse gas emissions must almost halve by 2030.
BrewDog to upcycle and trade used cans for company equity
Craft beer firm BrewDog has unveiled a new sustainability action plan that will allow consumers to trade in beer cans for upcycling and recycling in exchange for an equity stake in the company.
Government unveils fresh funding for business fight against food waste
The UK Government has announced a new £1.15m funding pot for businesses and non-profits aiming to reduce food waste in households and supply chains through behaviour change.
UK Government's 'gold standard' Environment Bill reintroduced
The UK Government's long-awaited Environment Bill has finally been reintroduced to Parliament, outlining powers to stop the exports of plastic waste to developing countries, and revamped governance systems on clean air and biodiversity and two-yearly reviews to update the Bill if required.
From measurement to action: Five best-practice lessons on going plastic-free
Having taken place on 16 January, edie's Plastic-Free Power Hour webinar included a collection of best-practice examples of sector-leading organisations taking control of their plastics-use - and delivering real organisational change. Here, we reflect on the key takeaways from the session.
Glasgow to phase-out single-use plastics within two years
Glasgow City Council has approved new measured to reduce plastic use across the local area, headlined by a commitment to phase-out single-use items by 2022.
Fishing for Plastic: Asda helps seafood suppliers collect ocean plastic pollution
Asda has unveiled plans to equip all of its seafood suppliers' boats with equipment that will enable workers to collect plastic pollution while bringing in the catch.
Bold targets and lifecycle assessments: Experts outline key drivers to combat single-use plastics
Sustainability experts from Sky, Surfdome and Nestlé have outlined how bold aspirations that target problematic plastics through the broader view of climate change can help spur the private sector towards a circular economy.
Businesses not examining carbon impact of plastics alternatives, edie survey finds
An edie survey of almost 300 sustainability and resource professionals has found that almost 50% of businesses haven't examined the carbon impact of single-use plastics alternatives, amidst growing calls for businesses to intertwine actions on plastics and climate change.
Spurring collaboration and collective action to create a waste-free future
In a viewpoint for edie's Single-use plastics: The 2020 roadmap for sustainable business report, Nestlé UK & Ireland's head of sustainability Anna Turrell explores the collective actions required by businesses to deliver a closed-loop future.
Sustainable Business Covered podcast: edie and Nestlé's plastics deep dive
The Sustainable Business Covered podcast returns for 2020, with edie bringing you exclusive interviews with Sky, Tideway, the University of Leeds and episode sponsors Nestlé for an episode dedicated to tackling single-use plastics.
Available on-demand: Watch all three sessions of edie's single-use plastics online event
Sustainability experts from Sky, Nestlé, Eurostar, Canary Wharf Group and Surfdome all discussed the role of businesses in collaborating, innovating and actuate to eliminate single-use plastics, as part of an online event that is now available to watch on-demand.
Nestlé commits £1.6bn to food-grade recycled plastics, pledges to cut virgin plastics use by a third
Food and beverage giant Nestlé has committed £1.59bn to source food-grade recycled plastics to be used in its packaging, alongside a pledge to cut the amount of virgin plastics it sources by a third.
Report: One in five UK businesses not motivated by environmental impact of plastics
Keep Britain Tidy and Brita UK have called on UK businesses to explore behaviour change and staff engagement initiatives to accelerate action on single-use plastics, after their survey found that 20% of businesses are 'not at all' motivated by the environmental impacts of the plastics they use.
edie launches best-practice guide for businesses tackling single-use plastics
edie has launched a new report, sponsored by Nestlé, 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.
Single-use plastics: The 2020 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. In 2018-19, the so-called “Attenborough effect” gave this issue the mainstream attention it deserved, and thousands of businesses duly began to ramp up their efforts to eliminate single- use plastics from their operations and the supply chain.
Colgate launches recyclable plastic toothpaste tube
Colgate Palmolive has launched a new vegan-friendly toothpaste range packaged in a first-of-its-kind recyclable plastic tube, with the technology set to be shared with competitor brands.
Breaking the single-use cycle
With the welcoming in of the New Year humanity has entered the final decade where there is still time left to take meaningful action and undo the environmental damage caused by our consumerist habits.
Naked products and take-back schemes: How are businesses designing their way out of single-use plastics?
To mark edie's Plastics Week of content dedicated to helping businesses design their way out of single-use plastics, this round-up features the innovative ways that business giants have started to turn the tide on plastics waste.
Pragmatism and pouch recycling: How Little Freddie is navigating the war on plastics as a challenger brand
EXCLUSIVE: With action on plastics packaging from governments and big businesses proving too slow for the public's liking, there is an opportunity for challenger brands to act more rapidly.
Plastics packaging phase-outs leading to environmental consequences, report warns
A new report from the Green Alliance has shown the companies are under "considerable and justified pressure" to move away from single-use plastics, often at the expense of carbon impacts and recyclability of alternative materials.
Viridor and phs agree deal to generate power from nappies and sanitary products
Waste management company Viridor has inked a new multi-million-pound contract with washroom services firm phs Group, that will divert non-recyclable hygiene waste such as nappies and sanitary products from landfill to be used for power generation.
Veolia joins business 'Roadmap' striving to halve food waste
Veolia has become the first recycling and waste company to join WRAP's Food Waste Reduction Roadmap - a cross-industry programme aiming to halve food waste by 2030.
Homebase pledges zero-waste-to-landfill by 2021
Home improvement retailer Homebase has pledged to achieve zero-waste-to-landfill status by 2021, after partnering with recycling and waste management firm Reconomy.
Single-use plastics: Two weeks left to register for free online event
Registration is now open for an afternoon of live, interactive webinar presentations and discussions from companies such as Eurostar, Nestlé and Sky on Thursday 16 January - all dedicated to helping businesses collaborate, innovate and actuate to eliminate single-use plastics.
Co-op targets 100% recyclable packaging by summer 2020
The Co-op has moved the deadline for ensuring that 100% of the packaging on its own-brand lines is easy-to-recycle forward from 2023 to summer 2020.
Kroger revamps action plan to eliminate food waste by 2025
US retail giant Kroger has unveiled new steps to eliminate food waste across its company by 2025 by prioritising food donations and technological innovations to drive action through a Zero Hunger, Zero Waste initiative.
In numbers: Why Christmas is the most wasteful time of the year
Christmas is said to be the most wonderful time of the year - but it's certainly the most wasteful. As the big day approaches, edie rounds up some of the most shocking resources and waste statistics of the 2019 festive season.
UK Plastics Pact 'set to eliminate one billion unnecessary single-use items'
Business signatories to WRAP's UK Plastics Pact are set to distribute one billion fewer pieces of "problematic" and unnecessary single-use plastic in 2020 than they did in 2018.
Mars and Nestle spearhead chemicals recycling scheme for plastics
Mars and Nestlé have teamed up with packaging solutions firm Citeo, energy giant Total and recycling technology provider Recycling Technologies to develop an industrial chemical recycling process for plastic packaging in France.
Hilton launches soap recycling initiative across UK hotels
Hilton is launching the largest UK initiative to recycle used soap and distribute 700,000 new bars to communities in need.
Iceland calls for supplier support to reach plastics phase-out target
Iceland has sent letters to all of its suppliers, calling on them to support the retailer in eliminating plastics packaging from its own-label products by the end of 2023.
'Bags for life' making plastic problem worse, say campaigners
Plastic "bags for life" should be banned or raised in price, campaigners say, as new figures reveal a surge in the bags is fuelling a rise in the plastic packaging footprint of leading supermarkets.
Report: Carpet experiencing lower UK recycling and reuse rates than plastics
Green campaign groups are calling on the UK Government to implement stronger circular economy requirements around carpets, after research concluded that just 2% of the 130,000 tonnes sent to the industry's recycling body annually are recycled.
Nestlé, Walmart and Borealis sign up to Ellen MacArthur Foundation's global plastics commitment
The world's largest food company, Nestlé, and the world's largest retailer, Walmart, have joined chemicals company Borealis in becoming Core Partners to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy.
Whitbread to remove 'unnecessary' single-use plastics from premises by 2025
Hospitality firm Whitbread has pledged to rid all 800 of its UK hotels and restaurants of unnecessary single-use plastics by 2025, and has called on other UK firms to do the same.
Coca-Cola to replace plastic shrink wrap with paper packaging across Europe
Coca-Cola and its European bottling partners will remove shrink wrap from its can multipacks, to be replaced with a €15m (£12.8m) investment into a paper-based packaging solution by the end of 2021.
Progress over perfection: Can McDonald's design its way out of single-use plastics?
McDonald's vice president of global sustainability Keith Kenny has claimed that the consumer-facing business needs to couple lifecycle analysis of its packaging with consumer demands in order to phase-out plastics in a secure way and without impacting customer experience.
