waste management

Related content

Coffee cups, lids and coffee grounds generated by over 300 shops, bars and restaurants across the 12-acre Canary Wharf Estate are now recycled through the use of designated bins

In practice: Canary Wharf Group's closed-loop Clean Coffee Zone

With the Canary Wharf Estate welcoming almost a million visitors every week, site owner Canary Wharf Group has seized upon an opportunity to ignite a resource revolution. Through the creation of closed-loop 'Clean Coffee Zone', coffee-related waste is now recycled and turned into new resources.

HP’s director of global sustainability operations Kirstie McIntyre is keen to put customers front and centre of its business model transition

Customers at the heart of sustainable business model transition, says HP

EXCLUSIVE: Hewlett-Packard's (HP) push towards a circular economy and servitisation-based business model has seen the relationship between the IT company and its customers evolve from one based purely on transactions to a point where customer demand is now helping to advance closed-loop initiatives.

Coffee cup consumers are encouraged to ‘tip-it, flip-it and stack-it’ – a process to ensure any remaining liquid is drained and the lid, sleeve and cup are separated

Veolia rolls out national in-store coffee cup recycling scheme

Waste management firm Veolia has today (19 June) launched the national rollout of an in-store coffee cup recycling scheme for its customers, as research shows the UK public is overwhelmingly behind efforts to tackle the issue.

Greene King claims that it last year diverted almost 8,000 tonnes from landfill across its operations

Greene King sets zero-waste-to-landfill goal

Greene King has today (19 June) pledged to become the first UK brewer to achieve zero-waste-to-landfill across its estate, with a target date set for 2020.

WBCSD's Food Reform for Sustainability and Health (FReSH) programme is designed to “accelerate transformational change in global food systems”

World Business Council issues call to arms for private sector to tackle food waste

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has issued a rallying call for businesses to address challenges relating to nutrition and sustainable food production, with a specific call for cross-sector collaboration.

The farm to fork aspect of the manifesto will be rolled-out as part of a series of blogs, videos and infographics that highlight the need for large-scale changes

Unilever's Sustainable Nutrition Manifesto aims to prove that food shouldn't 'cost the earth'

In a change of pace from the numerous electoral manifestos, Unilever has launched a new agenda that commits to creating "food that tastes good, does good and doesn't cost the earth".

Nespresso has already moved to alleviate recycling concerns in London, where it is trialling coffee capsule recycling schemes

Nespresso highlights recycling disparity between urban and rural areas

UK city dwellers are suffering from a lack of confidence over their ability to recycle, citing confusion and a lack of bin infrastructure as reasons why urban recycling rates are lagging in comparison to suburban and rural areas.

A national rollout of the scheme could commence if customer feedback from the Cardiff trial is positive. Image: Ikea

Ikea pilots UK textile take-back scheme

The world's biggest furniture retailer Ikea has launched its first UK-based textile take-back pilot, offering consumers in Cardiff the option to hand in unwanted purchases to be reused, repaired or recycled.

The production process of food accounts for 8% of global emissions, while food waste – which includes losses in the consumer phase – generates $940bn in global economic losses annually

Final Showdown: European nations set to define new era of food waste policy

A trialogue between the European Council, Commission and Parliament commenced today (30 May) to set out the policy frameworks for the next 14 years of European food waste action plans, and campaigners are urging the negotiators to "up their ambition".

Businesses need to strike a balance between targeting consumers on sustainability issues but not appearing to 'preach' CSR, the edie Live discussion concluded

Resource efficiency: Should we be socially engineering consumer behaviours?

Businesses must focus on the granularity of consumer needs to drive behaviour change over resource efficiency matters, according to sustainability experts speaking at edie Live this month.

Select Tesco stores will sell only reusable bags in a 10-week trial that could lead to the single-use bags being phased out in all of its stores

Tesco to trial a phase-out of single-use 5p plastic bags

Shoppers at a handful of Tesco stores in the UK will no longer be able to buy 5p "single-use" plastic carrier bags, in the first such trial by a supermarket.

techUK's Susanne Baker, pictured here speaking at edie Live, noted that the regulatory frameworks would mirror current purchasing trends by consumers

Longevity or recyclability? Policy shift set to impact e-waste, says techUK

Eco-design is the "unsung" hero of climate action, and a host of new regulatory frameworks could soon create an ideal marketplace for technology businesses that are championing the circular economy.

The Foundation’s $2m innovation prize was launched last week (18 May) in collaboration with the Prince of Wales's International Sustainability Unit

Ellen MacArthur: Businesses must collaborate to make circular economy mainstream

EXCLUSIVE: Businesses need to adopt a collaborative systems approach to packaging and product design that creates value for the vast amount of plastic that has seeped into the oceans, Dame Ellen MacArthur told edie.

The partnership also enlisted the help of ambassadors to implement the agenda across numerous countries

Corona targets marine plastic waste through islands protection pledge

Mexican beer brand Corona has partnered with Parley for the Oceans in a move that will protect 100 islands against rising marine plastic pollution by 2020.

Hubbub has said that the Trashconverter Van will tour the country if the pilot project is successful

Hubbub and Lucozade launch 'vandetta' against countryside waste

Drinks firm Luzocade Ribena Suntory has teamed up with social charity Hubbub in a behaviour change campaign aimed at encouraging road users to dispose their litter responsibly.

The Circular Fibres first report is due for publication in autumn 2017

Circular Fibres: Global brands partner to form closed-loop textile project

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) has today (11 May) launched an industry-wide initiative to build a new global textile system based on the principles of the circular economy.

Colin Church believes a fairer waste system that incentives responsible companies to design more resourceful packaging to improve recycling would help to boost recycling rates

CIWM: Circular economy will suffer without Government's helping hand

EXCLUSIVE: Businesses must be given the right tools from Government to take up an "incredibly powerful" role in the UK's resource and waste management system, according to the new chief executive of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM).

Nespresso exclusively uses aluminium to package coffee as it provides a dual benefit of protecting coffee freshness and quality and being infinitely recyclable

Nespresso launches coffee capsule recycling service in London

Nespresso has this week teamed up the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to recycle consumer aluminium coffee capsules in the local area.

The “survival” of the UK’s resource and waste management industry depends on a new inspection regime for waste sites and improved cross-regulation cooperation, the report said

Report: England loses £600m a year on waste crime

England is losing out on £604m a year due to the damage caused by illegal waste operators on the legitimate waste industry, new research has found.

The incoming Government should force the UK's major retailers to publicly report data on food waste, MPs say

Food waste: Ambitious national reduction target needed, MPs say

A national food waste reduction target and greater transparency from retailers are among the steps required to reduce UK food waste levels, according to a group of MPs who claim the issue is costing the average British citizen £200 per year.

It is hoped that five million cups will be collected and recycled by the end of the year

London's Square Mile Challenge on course to recycle 500,000 coffee cups

A joint campaign coordinated by major coffee retailers and business in the London Square Mile is on course to reach its target to recycle half a million coffee cups in the capital in one month.

Around 60% of bottles are currently recycled in the UK, but DRS could increase recycling rates to 98%. Image: Thames21

Sadiq Khan urged to explore plastic bottle return scheme

The London Assembly Environment Committee (LAEC) has called on the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to fulfil his promise of becoming the 'greenest Mayor London has ever had' by exploring the viability of a return scheme for plastic bottles, with a view to a city-wide trial.

Women's Institute urges supermarkets to do more to cut food waste

The Women's Institute is urging supermarkets to do more to help consumers reduce their domestic food waste, after a survey of its own membership revealed widespread confusion about "best before" and "use by" labelling on packaging.

The ESA is calling for a more strategic approach to planning policy for energy-from-waste plants across the UK

UK's planning system stifling circular economy progress, industry claims

An "outdated" culture within many of Britain's planning authorities is causing punitive delays to new waste management projects and the system must be improved in order to develop more sustainable business models shaped by the circular economy.

Last summer, the company launched its “Like New” initiative which places second-hand phones back into the market under a five-point grading system

How O2's smartphone recycling drive is strengthening its consumer relations

EXCLUSIVE: In a sector dominated by a frequent upgrades business model, mobile operator O2 has tweaked its services to place second-hand devices back into the market and has called on other manufacturers to collaborate to tackle e-waste.

The Government will use the strategy as a launchpad for a new national anti-littering campaign in 2018

Litter Strategy for England: 'Far-reaching' campaign or 'inadequate life-jacket'?

Businesses and non-profits have welcomed the UK Government's new Litter Strategy for England as a "sustained national behavioural change campaign", although concerns remain over the available budget to facilitate it.

Square Mile Challenge bins in the shape of bright yellow coffee cups will be in place on the City’s streets

Big businesses unite in Square Mile coffee cup recycling challenge

Major coffee retailers and businesses in the London Square Mile have today (3 April) joined forces to launch a scheme which aims to recycle half a million coffee cups in London this month.

The initiative is an integral part of New West End Company’s Air Quality Strategy 2020, the UK’s first business-led scheme to tackle air pollution

Supplier scheme launches to cut air pollution and boost business prosperity in London's West End

A new supplier scheme has launched across London's West End today (28 March), to save businesses money and improve the local air quality by reducing the number of vehicles entering the area each day.

Mars' Adrian Greet and Paul Crewe of Sainsbury's were joined in the panel by WRI's Kevin Moss and OLIO co-founder Saasha Celestial-One

Mars and Sainsbury's look to packaging to reduce consumer food waste

New technologies and improved dialogue with consumers has seen brands and retailers turn to packaging in order to reduce food waste, although companies still need to dispel myths that packaging is "evil".

Regent Street. The Crown Estate's waste consolidation programme aims to reduce waste from businesses across its central London portfolio

The Crown Estate signs up to Circular Economy 100 platform

Property giant The Crown Estate has today (27 March) become the latest corporate member of the Circular Economy 100 (CE100), the innovation platform launched by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to accelerate circular economy ambitions.

The growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), is likely to streamline approaches to waste management, which faces a 62% chance of becoming automated

Are waste management jobs at threat from automation?

As a new report warns that that waste, water and sewage management teams could be replaced by automated technology by 2030, a UK-based company has agreed to supply fuel cells for drones used for supply chain inventory tracking in the logistics sector.

Closed-loop crusaders: edie has identified six new battlegrounds that should brace themselves for the next War on Waste

Battle cry: Where should the War on Waste go next?

With edie's month of editorial content tailored to resource efficiency now in full swing, we highlight six areas where the influential 'War on Waste' circular economy campaign series should head next.

Disposable nappies are already a huge waste disposal challenge, with 3bn a year being thrown away in the UK

British tampons and nappies set to fuel power stations

One of the UK's trickiest waste problems is being tackled by turning the undesirable into the combustible - tampons and incontinence pads are being converted into dry, burnable bales. The new initiative, from a major waste company, compresses the waste into fuel for power stations.

Successes within the trial will be extended to other London boroughs and seven European cities will also conduct similar scheme in their own municipalities

Nine London boroughs selected to champion food waste awareness

The London Waste and Recycling Board (LWARB) has unveiled the nine London boroughs that will task hospitality and food service businesses and households to reduce food waste, promote sustainable eat and improve recycling of unavoidable waste.

The UK will be obliged to give effect to the Package for as long as it remains in the EU

Circular Economy Package: Everything you need to know

In light of the European Parliament's decision to reinforce more ambitious recycling targets within the long-awaited Circular Economy Package, edie takes a detailed look at how the proposed measures could affect businesses, especially in light of the UK's imminent departure from the European Union (EU).

The checklist covers practical guidance for firms to enhance resource efficiency at all stages of the packaging value chain, including transportation and end of life

Business encouraged to go 'above and beyond' packaging legislation through new checklist

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and the Industry Council for research on Packaging and the Environment (INCPEN) have partnered together to launch a new "sustainability checklist" to help companies optimise their packaging systems.

The latest Champions report analysed data from more 1,200 business sites across 17 countries and more than 700 companies across a range of sectors

Report: Tackling food waste offers 'triple win' for businesses to accelerate economic growth

Company efforts to tackled food waste can generate a "triple win" for the economy, food security and the environment while also generating financial returns of around $14 for every $1 spent on mitigation.

Organisations such as McDonalds and Thames21 have already agreed to act as partners for the Spring Clean

UK litter set for Spring clean as fly-tipping woes emerge

Ahead of Keep Britain Tidy's annual Spring Clean event, the charity has called for action to be taken to combat "disturbing" levels of fly-tipping across the UK.

The firms will aim to introduce 5,000 metric tonnes of bio-based plastic to the global market

Danone and Nestlé Waters pursue 100% bio-based plastic bottle rollout

Multi-national food company Danone has teamed up with the bottled water division of the Nestlé Group and a Californian start-up company to launch a new alliance aimed at commercialising 100% bio-based plastic bottles.

The public are asked to pledge their support and donate at a stand near designated bins, where they can exchange their coffee cup for a reusable model designed by manufacturer KeepCup

Canary Wharf Group launches circular coffee waste system

A pioneering initiative at the Canary Wharf estate in London has fully embraced the circular economy as the property, retail and waste management sectors join forces to recycle and reuse coffee waste.

The London Assembly Environment Committee has agreed that a deposit and take-back scheme should be trialled in certain areas of the capital

Is it time for a plastic bottle tax?

Following the success that the UK's plastic bag charge has had on changing consumer behaviours and reducing waste, environmental campaigners and industry experts have this week been discussing the viability of a plastic bottle deposit scheme. Would such a scheme be successful?

The new trays will consist of 25% ocean waste and 75% HDPE plastics to enhance the recyclability of the products. Image Dell

Dell delivers tech industry's first ocean plastic packaging

Computer firm Dell has achieved a new first for the technology industry, after converting waste plastic found on beaches and in waterways into new packaging for one of its laptop products.

A CocaCola spokeswoman said the company’s polling had found majority support for a deposit return scheme across the UK

Green campaigners welcome Coca-Cola U-turn on bottle and can recycling scheme

Coca-Cola has announced it supports testing a deposit return service for drinks cans and bottles, in a major coup for environment and anti-waste campaigners.

Sainsbury's becomes first retailer to commit to 100% plastic-free cotton buds

Sainsbury's has today (22 February) become the first British retailer to publicly commit to the complete removal of plastic from its cotton buds, as the supermarket group aims to replace the current sticks with a fully biodegradable option by the end of 2017.

The paper calls for a re-think on the tonnage-based EU waste targets to incorporate measures focused on wider environmental goals such as CO2 impacts

UK should consider new 2025 recycling targets, claims EIC

The UK should consult on new recycling targets for 2025 to boost investor confidence in the waste sector, according to a new report from the Environmental Industries Commission (EIC).

Harrogate Water turns to iconic Tidyman logo to raise recycling awareness

As reports emerge that UK ministers are likely to reject a plastic bottle deposit scheme, Britain's largest independent bottled water company has agreed to place the iconic 'Tidyman' logo on its products in a new partnership with Keep Britain Tidy.

UK households binned £13bn worth of food in 2015 that could have been eaten, despite the efforts of retailers to crack down on the issue

Consumer engagement: Fitting the final piece of the food waste puzzle

With edie's engagement month in full swing, George Ogleby investigates one of the biggest challenges facing Britain's circular economy transition: consumer engagement on food waste.

A range of resource-efficient business models exist; businesses need to examine consumer attitudes towards them

WRAP: Consumer demand creating economic opportunities for resource management

The private sector can progress waste reduction methods and promote recycling and reuse by building new business models around the consumer, WRAP's technical specialist Greg Lucas has claimed.

PwC currently recycles or reuses around 85% of the waste it produces, generating £500,000 for the firm annually in the process

Going Circular: PwC's staff engagement success story

As part of edie's engagement month of editorial content, Matt Mace takes a closer look at the innovative behaviour change approaches being adopted by PwC as the professional services firm seeks to mobilise waste reduction efforts of thousands of staff members to deliver a closed-loop organisation.

The Warp It scheme has saved customers £8m in avoided procurement costs since it formed in 2011, and facilitated the donation of £1.2m in assets to charity

Online reuse hub could save universities £1m in 2017

British universities have been tasked with saving £1m this year by internally sharing resources through an online reuse scheme.

Benefactors of the re-distributed handsets will receive 90 days of free access to the Three network, after which they can keep the handsets and choose a contract that best suits them

Three aims mobile reuse scheme towards disadvantaged communities

Communications provider Three UK is attempting to connect disadvantaged citizens to the digital world, through a new recycling donation scheme aimed at redistributing unused mobile phones across the nation.

Therese Coffey, pictured here, was due to speak at the launch event of a new Aldersgate Group report today, but was unwell

Businesses must lead Britain's resource revolution, claims Defra minister

The UK's ambition to become one of the most resource-efficient economies in the world must be led by private-sector innovation, according to Defra Resource Minister Therese Coffey.

Heineken UK was ordered to pay-out £160,000 for a pollution incident which killed fish back in 2014

Businesses agree £1.5m payout over environmental law breaches

Drinks firm Heineken UK, food producer Filippo Berio and utility company Anglian Water Services are among six businesses that have agreed to six-figure charity payments after breaching environmental laws.

Sky's coverage of ocean plastic waste was bolstered by the views of Sir Richard Branson, Ben Fogle, astronaut Tim Peake and Sir Ben Ainslie

#OceanRescue: Sky drives engagement on ocean plastic waste through new social campaign

Broadcasting company Sky has turned to social media to increase awareness of the "major challenge" of plastic waste in the oceans, using celebrities and behaviour change tips as levers to inspire and educate consumers.

Every day in the UK, up to 7m disposable coffee cups are thrown away, with less than 1% thought to be recycled

City of London launches challenge to boost coffee cup recycling

A scheme to boost disposable coffee cup recycling has been launched in the City of London in an attempt to prevent 5m cups a year from the Square Mile ending up in landfill.

Bywaters expects the installation on the roof of its Bow facility to deliver a positive return on investment within six years

London's largest solar retrofit project delivers big carbon savings

A waste management firm has saved 361 tonnes of CO2 in nine months following the delivery of a 1000KW solar retrofit project at its plant in East London.

Britain alone disposes of around 350,000 tonnes of medium-density fibreboard every year

Could this MDF recycling innovation solve a circular economy conundrum for retailers?

A breakthrough technology that recycles medium-density fibreboard (MDF) can deliver a commercially-viable process to recover wood fibre from the material, according to the solution's creator.

Almost half (43.4%) of Ikea's UK energy use was generated from renewables last year. Photo: Ben Stephens Architects

Ikea achieves zero-waste-to-landfill status in the UK

The world's biggest furniture retailer has announced that it sent zero waste to landfill across all of its UK and Ireland facilities in 2016, achieving a 90% recycling rate in the process.

WRAP also revealed that it is working to increase the number of signatories of the Commitment

Courtauld Commitment signatories aim to double food redistribution output

Signatories of the flagship Courtauld Commitment have unveiled a new ambition to double the amount of surplus food that is redistributed across the UK, while supermarket chain Waitrose has agreed to a new surplus food redistribution trial with social enterprise charity FareShare.

The report estimates that $80-120bn of plastic packaging material value is lost to the economy due to a linear, take-make-dispose value chain

New Plastics Economy: Businesses support action plan to recycle 70% of global plastic packaging

A cross-sector coalition of multinational businesses have today (16 January) thrown their weight behind the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's new global action plan to recycle and re-use 70% of the world's plastic packaging.

The ESA aims put evidence in front of Defra to make extended producer responsibility (EPR) a centrepiece of the department’s proposed 25-year plan

New year, new direction: ESA chairman Stewart Davies outlines circular economy prospects for 2017

In an exclusive interview for an upcoming episode of the Sustainable Business Covered podcast, edie sits down with Stewart Davies, the new chairman of the Environmental Services Association (ESA), to discuss his thoughts on the year ahead for nation's circular economy progress.

Although plenty of e-waste is recycled in Asia it’s mainly done by backyard businesses who resort to hammers and burning to access re-usable metals, resulting in local pollution

China's booming middle class drives Asia's toxic e-waste mountains

Asia's mountains of hazardous electronic trash, or e-waste, are growing rapidly, new research reveals, with China leading the way.

Despite the achievements of the signatories to significantly reduce waste levels, progress to reduce household food waste at a UK level has stalled

Courtald Commitment saves major UK brands £100m of food waste

UK retailers and manufacturers have generated an estimated £100m in food waste savings over a three-year period as part of WRAP's Courtauld Commitment Phase 3, new figures released today (10 January) reveal.

The reCup is expected to be sold in the UK at a cost comparable with traditional paper cups

'Game-changing' coffee cup project to provide retailers with cost-effective recycling service

The UK could be set for a coffee cup recycling revolution as British paper cup recycler Simply Cups has thrown its weight behind a project that provides businesses and consumers with a cup that can be recycled at traditional paper mills.

Bio-bean became the first company in the world to industrialise the process of recycling waste coffee into biofuel in 2012

Costa partners with Bio-bean to convert 3,000 tonnes of coffee waste to biofuel

The UK's largest coffee chain Costa has entered into a partnership with biomass recycling firm Bio-bean, which will see 3,000 tonnes of Costa's waste coffee grounds used as biofuel.

Instead of gold, frankincense and myrrh, edie has gifted to you some interesting sustainability facts about Christmas that you might not be aware of

Christmas and sustainability: Mistletoe and wine or chalk and cheese?

Christmas is just days away and as Santa's reindeers limber up for the big night, edie rounds-up some of the hidden sustainability stories of Christmas that you probably didn't know about.

Recycling is primarily the responsibility of local authorities, which have suffered dramatic, austerity-driven budget cuts during the years when recycling rates have stalled and now declined

Recycling rates in England drop for first time

Recycling rates in England have fallen for the first time ever, prompting calls for a tax on packaging and meaning EU targets are now almost certain to be missed.

The organisation will support the new goals but urges the Government to introduce “stretching but realistic” targets in future

Defra's 'unambitious' aluminium recycling targets challenged

The Government's new packaging recycling business targets for 2018-20 do not reflect the sector's high ambitions to maximise recovery and recycling of the material, according to the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro).

BMW's corporate headquarters in Munich, where car sharing has been introduced around the city

How BMW is revving up for for an electric vehicle circular economy

EXCLUSIVE: The ongoing electrification of the transport sector looks set to open up new avenues for improved resource management and closed-loop practices for carmakers looking to push beyond regulatory compliance, BMW's environmental programmes manager has said.

Tesco CEO Dave Lewis is chair of the Champions 12.3, which supports UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 – halving food waste per capita and reducing food loss by 2030

Tesco boss calls for greater transparency to tackle food waste

EXCLUSIVE: Retailers are showing a "growing appetite" to collaborate to tackle food waste, but still need to provide clearer information and deliver better reporting standards to drive change, the chief executive of Britain's largest supermarket group has told edie.

NextGeneration encourages construction firms to improve transparency through industry initiatives to help keep external stakeholders engaged with homebuilder efforts

UK homebuilders failing to deal with waste, report finds

The overwhelming majority of UK homebuilding firms have increased waste generation over the last year, according to a report assessing the sustainability performances of the UK's largest property developers.

Almost half of all plastic waste in the EU is still landfilled, reflecting an urgent need for more bio-based innovations to drive a new plastics economy

Bioplastics industry continues to expand despite low oil prices

The bioplastics industry is continuing to see stable growth despite falling oil prices, representing a positive shift in business attitudes towards manufacturing low-carbon, resource-efficient products. and a lack of stronger political support to realise the potential of bio-based materials in Europe.

Ford, MillerCoors, Nestle, Vacherin and Vauxhall are among an increasing number of businesses that have achieved zero-waste-to-landfill status

Carbon Trust launches zero-waste-to-landfill certification

Advisory firm The Carbon Trust has unveiled a new certification to award business achievements in diverting zero waste to landfill.

The company is also a member of the 1% for Planet alliance, which pools together businesses that contribute 1% of total annual sales to grassroots environmental protection groups

Patagonia donates $10m Black Friday sales to environmental grassroots

American clothing firm Patagonia has raised $10m for environmental grassroots nonprofits, after donating 100% of the global sales that it generated from Black Friday.

There are estimated to be 5tn pieces of plastic floating in the world’s seas

Tesco and Sainsbury's ban plastic cotton buds to cut waste

The UK's two largest supermarket chains have committed to end the sale of cotton buds with plastic stems, which are the most common litter from toilets flushed on to the country's beaches.

The rollout of new recycling bins in Starbucks stores will also apply to any paper coffee cups from competitors

Starbucks follows Costa with in-store coffee cup recycling bins

Coffee giant Starbucks has announced the launch of a new in-store paper cup recycling bin aimed at encouraging customers to return take-way cups back into the store and boost overall recycling levels.

Costa is funding research at Sheffield University into cup recyclability and currently donates 25p to litter charities every time a customer uses a reusable cup in a Costa store

Costa Coffee launches in-store cup recycling scheme

The UK's largest coffee chain Costa Coffee is to launch a recycling scheme in all of its stores to ensure that as many as possible of its own takeaway cups - and those from its competitors - are recycled.

An estimated 740,000 tonnes of solid food and drink waste were produced in Scottish commercial and industrial sectors in 2013

Research underpins need for Scottish business leadership on food waste

Scottish businesses have been urged to provide "clear leadership" on food waste, as new research shows that an estimated 1.35 million tonnes of food and drink is wasted in the country each year.

The US Department of Agriculture estimates that around 90bn pounds of food waste derives from consumers, costing each US citizen $370 annually

US food giants pledge to halve food waste by 2030

Major food firms including PepsiCo, General Mills, Unilever and Kellogg are among the 15 US-based retail giants that have pledged to halve the amount on food waste produced within their operations by 2030.

Adidas will use marine waste sourced from Parley’s clean-up operations, which are located in the Maldives and along 1,000 coral islands off the western coast of India

Adidas launches mass-produced ocean plastic trainers

Global sportswear company Adidas looks set to push around 7,000 pairs of trainers made from 95% ocean plastic into the market, alongside setting a new goal to produce one million ocean plastic pairs of trainers by 2017.

SEPA acknowledges that businesses are more likely to beyond compliance if there are clear benefits and understanding that all businesses are operating to the same regulatory standards

Most Scottish businesses meet environmental compliance

The overwhelming majority of Scottish businesses are now following environmental regulations, the country's environment protection agency has revealed.

ECAP is a joint project focusing on the clothing supply chain to reduce waste and to bring about effective waste recovery

Primark signs up to WRAP's sustainable clothing plan

Five leading clothing brands and retailers including Primark and Peak Performance have signed up to WRAPs cooperative European Clothing Action Plan (ECAP) initiative, which aims to promote sustainable clothing across the continent.

C2C forms the basis of the company’s Carlsberg Circular Community (CCC) initiative, that partners with suppliers to develop products that are optimised for recycling and reuse

Carlsberg obtains circular economy certification for Kronenbourg glass bottles

Global beverage company Carlsberg has become the first company in the world to be accredited with a Cradle-to-Cradle (C2C) bronze certification for a glass beverage packaging.

Water UK’s director of environment Sarah Mukherjee (left) and Environmental Services Association (ESA) executive director Jacob Hayler (right) appeared before the EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee

Brexit concerns mount for UK's waste and water industries

The UK's departure from the European Union (EU) could result in economic downturn and the slow degradation of environmental regulations in the waste and water industries.

The panel agreed that collaboration was key to unlocking more resourceful and profitable “core business models”

Collaboration the catalyst for circular economy adoption, say business leaders

Businesses are beginning to understand and reap the benefits of implementing circular operating models, but adoption across numerous sectors will likely flounder unless enhanced cooperation paves the way to the "collaborative economy".

The report discusses what technologies and innovations can act as catalyst to drive closed-loop waste management

Circular economy can unlock £4bn 'hidden' UK reuse mine, says Veolia

Companies located in "strategically important" sectors in the UK are currently sitting on a £4bn "hidden mine" that can only be unlocked by transitioning to a circular economy that turns waste into a monetary and valuable resource, a new report from waste specialists Veolia has found.

According to Szaky, consumers are purchasing around ten times more stuff compared to 100 years ago, the majority of which is “voluntary consumerism”

TerraCycle: Recycling won't solve the waste dilemma, but consumers can

Improving economic incentives behind waste collection models and a "silent revolution" in how consumers interact with products will be essential in tackling "monumental environmental crises", all of which can be linked back to waste.

It emerged earlier this year that only one in 400 coffee cups are recycled because they are made of a difficult to recycle mix of paper and plastic

Ministers reject calls for charge on UK's disposable coffee cups

Ministers have rejected calls for a charge on the 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups thrown away each year because they believe coffee shop chains are already taking enough action to cut down waste.

edie shares some terrifying tales and scary sustainability stories – but also what’s being done to tackle them - from one of the most famous nights of the year

Halloween: The living nightmare for the waste management industry

It's the time of year where people dress up as vampires and werewolves - and probably Ken Bone this year - but for those who have to deal with the waste that Halloween generates, the real horrors rise up from the tombs of cheap costumes and plastic broomsticks.

The CIWM report advocates the wider promotion of existing good practice and guidance through support for smaller independent re-use organisations

Waste managers urge business to address re-use - the 'neglected child' of waste hierarchy

The business case for product re-use is being restricted by poor engagement, financial constraints and a general lack of good practice guidance, a new report from a UK resource and waste management industry body has claimed.

The report cites cross-sector partnerships and collective leadership as key to delivering procurement policies which drive the circular transition

Consistent procurement critical to achieve circular construction, report claims

A collective, industry-led approach to procurement in the development of major infrastructure projects across the UK would help achieve a circular economy in the construction sector, a new report from a cross-sector group has found.

edie rounds up of some of the recent innovations attempting to turn the food waste mountain into a self-feeding gold mine

World Food Day: Five fascinating projects to feed the plenty with surplus food

To mark World Food Day on Sunday (16 October), edie rounds up some of the latest green innovations and campaigns aimed at reducing the mountains of food waste that continue to cast a dark shadow on global food systems.

WRAP's new Recycling Guidelines clarify the “what, why and how” of the recyclability of items such as paper, card, cartons, metal, plastic and glass packaging

Waste management industry unites to develop 'first ever' National Recycling Guidelines

Britain's rising recycling contamination levels could be pulled back on track thanks to a new set of guidelines developed by the waste management industry which detail exactly what can and cannot be accepted for recycling at the kerbside.

The initiative will aim to collect 20,000 paper cups, which will be recycled into 15,000 plastic flower pot holders to be used in community gardens around the area

Giant coffee cup bins invade Manchester in an attempt to recycle 20,000 paper cups

Thanks to the efforts of a host of retailers including Caffé Nero, Costa and McDonald's, the streets of Manchester will soon be inundated with giant coffee cup bins, as charity Hubbub attempts to save 20,000 paper cups from ending up in landfill.

The paper calls on the Government to “consider in some detail” the role that EPR can play in tackling the UK’s litter problem as part of its upcoming Litter Strategy

The litter levy: Should brands take more responsibility for the UK's waste woes?

Brands such as McDonald's, Coca Cola, Costa Coffee and Wrigley should strive to become a "big part of the solution" to the amount of litter plaguing UK streets, by working with the Government to implement an Extended Produce Responsibility (EPR) scheme.

The partnership will produce new recycling solutions for previously unrecyclable waste for businesses and local authorities

Suez and TerraCycle to boost waste management for 'tricky-to-recycle' products

Pens, coffee packaging and protective disposable gloves could soon be subjected to innovative new recycling techniques, after waste management firm Suez announced a new partnership with developers TerraCycle, a company renown for treating hard-to-recycle materials.

Research has revealed that the overwhelming majority of the English population now carry their own bags when food shopping following the charge roll-out

Tesco's single-use carrier bag numbers drop by 1.5 billion

On the first anniversary of the carrier bag charge roll-out, UK supermarket giant Tesco has revealed that more than 1.5 billion single-use carrier bags have been saved by its customers in England since the levy's introduction.

The research shows a growth from 51% to 62% in support in England for the carrier bag charge since it was introduced

England sees surge in shoppers using their own carrier bags

The overwhelming majority of the English population now carry their own bags when food shopping following the introduction of the 5p carrier bag charge a year ago, new research has revealed.

Dagevos called on companies to introduce innovative new design methods that stopped “plastic leakage” into oceans occurring in new closed-loop models

Plastic Soup Foundation: UK microbeads ban first step to implementing plastic circular economy

EXCLUSIVE: The UK Government's decision to introduce a national ban on microbeads can act as an "important step" that mobilises countries to look beyond microbeads in the ocean and focus on creating a plastic circular economy "without leakage".

The platform marks the first time that UK companies governed by Producer Responsibility Obligation Regulations are given transparent knowledge on investment

Ecosurety adopts 'network creator' mantle to launch Circularety waste investment platform

Resource efficiency specialist Ecosurety has today (28 September) introduced a new "revolutionary" platform that uses money generated from issuing waste recycling compliance documents to fund transparent projects that aid the waste and recycling industry.