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Spirax-Sarco 'refreshes' sustainability strategy with net-zero and biodiversity goals
Engineering firm Spirax-Sarco has 'refreshed' its sustainability strategy, unveiling new pledges towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity and waste management.
Unilever unveils new UK refillable packaging trials
Unilever is expanding trials of refillable packaging across the UK, including its first 'return on the go' scheme, in a bid to cut back on unnecessary plastics packaging.
Unilever introduces paper-based bottles for laundry detergent
Unilever is set to launch its first paper-based bottles for laundry detergent in Brazil next year, with an ambition in place to introduce the packaging across Europe thereafter.
Beer giant Corona achieves 'net-zero plastic footprint'
Beer brand Corona, which is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), has announced that it is now recovering more plastic from the environment than it generates, describing the milestone as the delivery of 'net-zero plastic'.
Waitrose and Aldi to use ocean-bound plastics for packaging on dozens of products
Waitrose & Partners has marked World Oceans Day (8 June) by unveiling plans to add ocean-bound plastics to packaging across 71 products, including ready meals, fruit and vegetables.
KFC to train all 28,000 UK staff to tackle litter
In light of the fact that many local authorities have reported an increase in littering since lockdown first began, KFC has launched a new strategy to combat the problem, including large-scale staff training.
Nissan invests £52m into closed-loop aluminium production at Sunderland facility
Nissan has confirmed a new £52m investment into its Sunderland facility that will enable the use of recycled and lightweight aluminium for the production of Qashqai vehicles to reduce the energy required for material processing.
A battery future
Lithium-ion batteries have enabled products that would not otherwise exist. A mobile electronic device - a cellphone, tablet, or a PC, say - would look very odd if it were powered by an internal combustion engine, and would not be mobile if the device had to be plugged into the wall to function.
Manufacturing giants unite on £1m Flexible Plastic Fund
Mars UK, Mondelēz International, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever are all supporting a new £1m initiative to improve the recyclability of "flexible" plastic bags, wrappers, films, pouches, packets and sachets.
edie Explains: The circular economy
Why is adopting a circular economy so important? What does a circular economy look like in practice? How does the circular economy apply to business? Which organisations are most suited to going circular? What are the business benefits of going circular? This new explains guide answers all these questions and more.
Turkey to ban plastic imports after 'recycling' from UK and other nations dumped and burned
The Turkish Government has outlined plans to ban the import of certain kinds of plastic waste, after a Greenpeace investigation found that plastics sent to Turkey for recycling were actually polluting the environment.
Viridor targets net-negative emissions by 2045 through carbon capture technology
Waste management firm Viridor has committed to becoming a net-zero emissions business by 2040 and to then move further by reaching net-negative emissions five years later.
Time, innovation and partnerships: How Unilever is moving away from single-use plastics
EXCLUSIVE: Unilever's chief R&D officer Richard Slater tells edie how a focus on better, less and no plastic is enabling the consumer goods giant to reduce its plastics footprint globally while improving the recyclability of packaging.
Aldi launches in-store recycling scheme for problem plastics
Aldi has added collection points for soft and flexible plastics, which most UK councils do not collect from homes, to 20 of its UK stores.
Unilever introduces fully recyclable toothpaste tubes
Unilever is introducing recyclable toothpaste tubes to its oral care brands in two of its largest markets, as part of wider plans to convert its branded toothpaste portfolio to widely recyclable packaging by 2025.
10p plastic bag charge comes into force for all businesses
The UK Government has confirmed that it is increasing the levy applied to single-use plastic carrier bags to 10p.
Co-op to remove plastic bags for life from all stores
Co-op will remove plastic bags for life from sale in all 2,600 stores, citing concerns that they are increasing the amount of plastic in circulation, instead choosing to offer customers 10p compostable bags.
B Corp Oddbox targets net-zero emissions by 2030
Surplus fruit and vegetable redistributor Oddbox has unveiled new pledges to reach net-zero emissions by 2030 and reduce emissions by saving 150,000 tonnes of food waste by 2025.
Aldi launches packaging-free refillable trial
Aldi has today (14 April) launched its first trial of packaging-free products, with a variety of rice and pasta on offer as part of a new refillable service.
Government to explore ban on oxo-degradable plastics
The UK Government is considering introducing a ban on types of plastics that can breakdown naturally, following an evidence-gathering consultation into the environmental impacts of plastics and alternative materials.
Morrisons to remove all plastic bags for life from UK stores
Supermarket retailer Morrisons is removing all plastic versions of its "bags for life" from stores nationwide, in favour of paper and other reusable options, in a move that will save 3,200 tonnes of plastic each year.
edie Explains: Net-zero carbon heating
What is net-zero carbon heating? Why is net-zero carbon heating important? What are the different forms of net-zero carbon heating? What are the business benefits of net-zero carbon heating? This explains guide answers all of these questions and more
Recycling rates are down, so what's the solution?
The latest data from the Department for Environment & Rural Affairs shows that household recycling rates in England have increased by just over 1% in the last 5 years.
Available to watch on-demand: edie's Circular Economy Inspiration sessions
Experts from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Ikea, Innovate UK and The Body Shop took part in The Circular Economy Inspiration Sessions - an afternoon of live, interactive presentations and discussions on Thursday 25 March.
Now is the time for businesses to become closed-loop activists
In the foreword for edie's new 'Single-use plastics: The 2021 roadmap for sustainable business' report Planet Patrol's Lizzie Carr outlines the need for businesses to embed the circular economy as core strategic principle.
SustyTalk: Planet Patrol's Lizzie Carr on single-use plastics and business activism
edie's #SustyTalk series continues during Circular Economy Week, with Planet Patrol's founder and activist Lizzie Carr discussing public attitudes towards single-use plastics and how businesses can become activists to help create a closed-loop future.
Government launches consultations on Deposit Return Scheme and Extended Producer Responsibility
MPs have today introduced new consultations to create the largest ever overhaul to the waste and resources sector, recommending that manufacturers cover the full costs of recycling packaging waste, standardising domestic and commercial waste collection and introducing a Deposit Return Scheme for certain types of packaging in 2024.
How to start your journey towards responsible consumption and production
Helen Brand, chief executive of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) discusses the association's approach to tackling the Sustainable Development Goals, notably ones focused on resource efficiency, and how other businesses can kickstart a journey to the circular economy.
edie launches updated best-practice guide for businesses tackling single-use plastics
edie has today (24 March) launched an updated report that outlines the steps businesses can and should take to identify, reduce, replace and eliminate single-use plastics from their operations, supply chains and products and services as part of efforts to build back better from the coronavirus pandemic.
Why the circular economy is primed to improve social sustainability and value chain resiliency
EXCLUSIVE: The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the fragility of both society and the sprawling value chains that the economy relies on. Shifting nations to a circular economy could be key in delivering a green recovery that champions sustainable income and environmental stewardship.
Single-use plastics: The 2021 roadmap for sustainable business
It’s been one of the biggest sustainable business issues of the past decade: tackling the scourge of single-use plastics. But has the progress delivered in 2019 off the back of the so-called “Attenborough effect” been offset by the pandemic?
The role of reused and refurbished tech in sustainable living
We at Dixons Carphone have long understood the significance of our actions and the impact we have as a business on our environment. We've been taking in our customers' e-waste since 2007 and have since built ourselves up to become the UK's biggest retail tech recycler.
Recycling gap: Most Brits claim they recycle plastic at home, so why aren't rates improving?
A new survey of 5,000 adults has revealed that eight in ten UK adults recycle at least three-quarters of the plastics waste produced in their homes. So why is the UK's domestic plastics recycling rate stagnating?
In charts: How big is the UK's waste mountain - and what are we recycling?
As part of edie's Circular Economy Week campaign, we take a look at the official facts and stats regarding some of the UK's biggest waste streams, outlining how much is generated and what proportions are recycled.
Vaccines, Value and Partnership: How Covid-19 is shaping sustainability
Covid-19 is a wake-up call for the world. In just one short year it has exposed the fragility and unpredictability of our existence, demonstrated the value of partnerships in solving an existential threat and made it clear that we cannot simply go back to the way we were.
#SustyTalk: Biffa's Jeff Rhodes on the Resources and Waste Strategy
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with an exclusive discussion with Biffa's head of environment & external affairs Jeff Rhodes, hosted as part of our Circular Economy Week.
Use compostable packaging to boost food waste recycling, UK Government told
With separate household food waste collections set to roll out across England by 2023, Ministers are being urged to spur the adoption of compostable packaging for food products.
Circular Economy Week: edie kicks off week of zero-waste themed content and events
Running from 22-26 March, edie's Circular Economy Week includes exclusive interviews, podcasts, reports, webinars and in-depth feature articles - all dedicated to embracing closed-loop models.
Ocado and KP Snacks detail progress on plastic phase-outs
Online retailer Ocado had launched a refresh of its own-range products that will remove more than nine million pieces of packaging while also reducing the amount of plastic used, while KP Snacks has also announced packaging reductions.
Mondelez and PepsiCo set new plastic pledges following non-profit discussions
Two of the world's largest users of plastics, Mondelez International and PepsiCo have agreed to set new reduction targets following intensive discussions with the As You Sow non-profit.
Tesco to roll out UK-wide flexible plastic recycling scheme
Tesco has begun introducing permanent in-store recycling points for soft and flexible plastics, which typically are not collected by councils, and is hoping to host them in all large UK stores.
Molson Coors unveils bottles with 90% lower carbon footprint
The Molson Coors Beverage Company is rolling out new glass beer bottles that have reduced the carbon emissions associated with production by up to 90%.
Next wave of speakers confirmed for edie's circular economy online event
Experts from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Ikea, Innovate UK and The Body Shop have been confirmed among the first wave of speakers for The Circular Economy Inspiration Sessions – an afternoon of live, interactive presentations and discussions taking place virtually on Thursday 25 March.
WRAP: Two-thirds of Brits don't see link between food waste and climate change
Better education on the links between food waste and climate change could encourage UK families to reduce the 6.6 million tonnes of food they bin at home every year.
Sainsbury's rolls out flexible plastic take-back and recycling scheme
Sainsbury's has begun collecting hard-to-recycle flexible plastic film at 63 of its stores and will use the material to trial an innovative new recycling process.
Now's the time for businesses to double down on shared challenges and values
To seize opportunities for progress and achieve the pace and scale of positive change required, the world needs business at its best. That's why there has never been a more critical time to put B Corp values front and centre of every responsible business.
Fashion giants collaborate on Bangladesh textile reuse scheme
A group of 30 fashion brands, manufacturers and waste management firms have launched a new collaborative scheme to capture and reuse textile waste in Bangladesh.
Absolut hits recycled materials target four years early
The Absolut Company has met a target to use 50% recycled material in its glass bottles four years ahead of schedule.
Costa Coffee expands food waste prevention services across UK
Costa Coffee is expanding a partnership with an anti-food-waste app to offer customers the chance to purchase surplus food from more than 1,100 stores across the UK, having saved 250 tonnes of carbon emissions through the existing collaboration.
Nestlé reduces plastic from cereal packaging and rolls out paper Smarties packs worldwide
Well-known cereal brands including Cheerios, Shreddies and Shredded Wheat are set to reduce the amount of plastic used in packaging by more than 600 tonnes annually, while Nestlé's Smarties brand is also switching to recyclable paper packaging worldwide.
Paper or plastic? How to make the most sustainable packaging choices
The EU tax on plastic packaging waste, implemented on 1 January 2021, has again brought to the fore the debate about what is the most sustainable packaging material.
UK Government faces fresh accusations of backtracking on post-Brexit environment pledges
MPs and Lords, including former Shadow Environment Secretary Lord Clark, are urging the Government to prove that it won't export low-quality plastics to developing nations for recycling, arguing that policy loopholes currently exist.
Tennent's invests £7m to remove plastic packaging from beer cans
Scottish brewer Tennent's is investing £7m into new packaging technology at its Glasgow-based brewery which will remove more than 100 million plastic rings from its lager can packs by 2022.
Heinz removes plastics from canned product packaging
Heinz is replacing plastic shrink-wrap packaging across its multipack canned products for sustainably certified paperboard, a move which will reduce the company's plastics footprint by 550 tonnes.
Report: UK could recycle three times as much plastic by 2030
The UK could recycle 3.5 times as much plastic in 2030 as it did in 2019, if the government works with the private and public sectors to accelerate investment in collection and processing infrastructure.
What makes a sustainability leader? Meet circular economy innovators, P&G
With less than a month until the 2021 Sustainability Leaders Awards, this feature series showcases the achievements of the 2020 winners and reveals their secrets to success. Up next: The winners of the Circular Economy Innovation of the Year, Procter & Gamble.
Beefeater removes plastic from new bottle range
Beefeater has launched a new 100% recyclable bottle, featuring paper labels and an aluminium cap that will be rolled out globally across its range of gins this month.
#SustyTalk: London Waste and Recycling Board's Wayne Hubbard on the circular economy during Covid-19
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with an exclusive interview with the London Waste and Recycling Board's chief execiutive Wayne Hubbard.
In numbers: What is the environmental impact of Christmas?
Christmas is said to be the most wonderful time of the year - but it's also the most wasteful. With less than a week left until the big day, edie rounds up some of the most shocking environmental statistics for the season.
IBM to launch new data platform to map plastics waste
IBM has partnered with the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) on a new data platform to help track plastic waste and recovery globally.
What makes a sustainability leader? Meet waste management champions Marston's and UKWSL
With the 2021 Sustainability Leaders Awards approaching, this new feature series showcases the achievements of the 2020 winners and reveals their secrets to success. Up next: The winners of the Waste and Resource Management Project of the Year Award, Marston's and UKWSL.
SDG Spotlight: How Businesses Can Achieve Goal 12; Responsible Production and Consumption
edie's latest SDG Spotlight report, produced in association with Rio, looks at how businesses can transform operations, services, supply chains and strategies to help deliver Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption.
Business leaders and politicians call for ban on non-food plastic sachets
Businesses, academics and politicians have united to call for urgent action to eliminate the use of non-food plastic sachets, warning that the world is set to consumer one trillion of them by 2030.
Japan Tobacco International commits to net-zero by 2030
Japan Tobacco International (JTI UK) has committed to reaching net-zero emissions in the next decade by procuring 100% renewable energy, transitioning its UK fleet to electric vehicles (EV) and diverting waste from landfill.
Podback: Coffee brands join forces on UK pod recycling scheme
Brands such as Nespresso, Nescafé Dolce Gusto and Tassimo have launched a new recycling initiative that aims to get the coffee sector collaborating on a simplistic way to enable consumers to recycle coffee pods in the UK.
The Great Reinvention: Cracking the code for circular economy business model innovation
After participating in edie's 'Business Model Innovation' open roundtable at Net-Zero Live earlier this month, sustainable business expert and commentator Mike Townsend explores four key shifts in search of the 'holy grail' - how we can transition to circular business models that are sustainable and profitable, yet also attractive for customers and suppliers.
UK to support 'Paris Agreement on plastics'
The UK Minister for Pacific and the Environment, Zac Goldsmith, has revealed that the UK is willing to discuss a new global treaty to tackle plastics pollution, which has been supported by more than two-thirds of UN member states.
Garnier launches shampoo bars with reduced environmental impact
L'Oreal brand Garnier is launching a new range of shampoo bars, packaged in 100% recyclable materials, that offer a 25% reduction in environmental impact compared to liquid shampoos.
Plastic promises and the crisis of corporate accountability
The top 10 plastic polluters that we analysed have a joint plastic footprint of almost 10 million tonnes a year - the equivalent of 30-times the weight of the Empire State Building. Last week we sent them open letters asking them to publicly support legislation and finally take meaningful action to tackle the plastic crisis they are complicit in creating.
Hubbub and Coca-Cola launch on-street recycling scheme in Dublin
Environmental charity Hubbub and the Coca-Cola Foundation have launched a new on-street recycling initiative in Dublin, to increase public awareness and use of recycling infrastructure.
Unilever expects to double use of recycled plastics in next 12 months
Unilever has confirmed that 10% of its plastic footprint now consists of post-consumer recycled plastic (PCR), as the company pushes ahead to meet a target of halving the use of virgin plastic.
Mission Possible: Achieving a green recovery for hospitality and leisure
edie's Mission Possible campaign has evolved to focus on the green recovery, with a new series of reports outlining the challenges that businesses in key sectors face in relation to the coronavirus pandemic, and the opportunities that the green recovery will bring. Up next, hospitality and leisure.
Nestle outlines plans to bring UK's first commercial scale chemical plastic recycling plant online
Nestle has partnered with a chemical plastic recycling company with two commercial-scale facilities online in Spain, in the hopes of developing a similar plant in the UK.
Unilever and UK Government back chemical plastic recycling innovation
A joint project hoping to scale-up chemical recycling for hard-to-recycle plastics waste, involving Unilever and synthetic fuel giant Neste, has received a £3.1m grant from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
Electrolux debuts vacuum cleaner made from 100% recycled plastics
Electrolux has unveiled the first product range as part of a new "circular initiative" with Stena Recycling, a new vacuum cleaner made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastics and reused materials.
Morrisons, Waitrose and John Lewis remove glitter from Christmas items
Three retailers, Morrisons, Waitrose and John Lewis, have met commitments to phase-out glitter from Christmas products due to the damage the microplastics can cause to the natural environment.
Food and retail giants to collaborate on government-backed scheme to reduce food waste
Some of the UK's largest retailers and food manufacturers, including Unilever, M&S, Nestlé and Amazon are collaborating to deliver a new network of "food waste champions" to help reduce the amount of food waste produced by the sectors.
H&M brings 'garment-to-garment' recycling machines in-store
H&M has installed a machine which disassembles old clothing and re-assembles the material into new textiles in one of its stores, in what it claims is a first for the fashion industry.
Ikea to phase-out sales of non-rechargeable batteries to cut back on waste
Ikea has confirmed that it will stop selling non-rechargeable alkaline batteries from its stores by October 2021, after lifecycle assessments found that the environmental impacts of the batteries were much higher than rechargeable alternatives.
edie launches new explains guide to creating a circular economy for electronics
Organisations looking to understand the benefits and opportunities of reusing and recycling used electronics can now access a free 'edie Explains' guide breaking down everything they need to know about preventing e-waste.
edie explains: Electronics and the circular economy
How can businesses create a circular economy for electronics of all kinds? What are the challenges and benefits of doing so? And how are policies affecting the e-waste changing? This free edie explains guide answers all these questions and more.
Danone, Ella's Kitchen and TerraCycle launch UK-wide recycling scheme for food pouches
Baby food brand Ella's Kitchen will partner with Danone Yoghurt and TerraCycle to launch a UK recycling programme for flexible food pouch packaging, in a bid to reduce the volume of material being sent to landfill.
Boots launches takeback scheme for hard-to-recycle products
Boots has become the latest retailer to launch an in-store take-back scheme for hard-to-recycle packaging and products, offering customers £5 worth of loyalty points for every five products deposited.
Closing the loop in a post-Covid-19 landscape
The impact that Covid-19 has had on communities around the world is unprecedented. The face mask - now a ubiquitous symbol of the global pandemic - serves as an ongoing reminder that a virus invisible to the human eye has forced communities across the world to retreat and entire nations to shut down.
Iceland joins campaigners to call for better corporate reporting on plastics
Retailer Iceland had today (16 September) joined forces with Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, A Plastic Planet and Surfers Against Sewage in calling for corporates to better disclose their plastics consumption.
Flurry of corporate plastic announcements hints at a new normal for the circular economy
In what has been a bumper week for news stories on single-use plastics, edie explores how corporates are forging ahead with new collection and take-back schemes for recyclable packaging that had been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.
Unilever's Persil switches to bio-based formula and recycled plastic bottles
Unilever-owned cleaning brand Persil has launched a new liquid formulation made from plant-based stain removers and biodegradable ingredients that will be packaged in fully recyclable bottles made from 50% post-consumer recycled plastic.
Banking and finance giants issue support for circular economy investment
More than 30 chief executives from some of the world's largest banks and asset managers, including BlackRock, Barclays, Lloyds, ING and the European Investment Bank, have backed new research from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) highlighting how green finance can spur the circular economy.
L'Oréal launches bottles made from 100% recycled plastic and rolls out Maybelline recycling scheme
L'Oreal has confirmed that bottles of Paris Elvive will be made from 100% recycled plastic, on the same day that its Maybelline brand launched a UK recycling programme in partnership with TerraCycle.
McDonald's joins TerraCycle's Loop programme to trial reusable cups
The world's largest restaurant company McDonald's has launched a new global partnership to utilise the Loop collection model from TerraCycle that will see reusable and returnable cups trialled to cut back on single-use plastics.
HolyGrail 2.0: Major brands sign up to explore digital watermarks to improve packaging recycling
More than 80 major European brands, including P&G, PepsiCo and Mondi will collaborate to explore the feasibility of using "digital watermarks" to improve the sorting of recyclable packaging across the European Union (EU), as part of the HolyGrail 2.0 project spearheaded by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Nestle invests in food-grade recycled plastics as part of closed-loop innovation drive
Nestlé has launched a new £22m ($30m) investment to increase the amount of food-grade recycled plastics it uses in packaging, has launched a new refill system for pet food and will trial recyclable paper packaging for certain brands.
Co-op launches in-store collection scheme for single-use plastics
Co-op has started an in-store collection system for "scrunchable" plastics, including carriers bags, yoghurt pots and food wrappers, which will be processed into waste disposal bin liners to be used by the retailer.
Coca-Cola switches to 100% recycled plastics across Netherlands and Norway
Coca-Cola is set to roll out bottles made from 100% recycled plastic (rPET) in the Netherlands and Norway, as part of the company's latest efforts in Western Europe to eliminate the use of virgin oil-based plastics in its products.
Absolut to trial 2,000 paper-based drinks bottles
The Absolut Company will trial 2,000 paper-based bottle prototypes across Sweden and the UK later this year, to test the viability of paper as an alternative to single-use plastics in beverage applications.
Report: Circular economy can halve emissions of UK infrastructure projects
Transitioning to a circular economy can assist in the net-zero transition, with a new report supported by AECOM stating that carbon reductions of up to 50% can be delivered and £35bn generated for the UK economy by using closed-loop materials throughout the design process of infrastructure projects.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation launches Plastics Pact in US, supported by 60 major signatories
Mars, Unilever and Kimberly-Clark are among the 60+ organisations to have committed to the new US version of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Plastics Pact, which aims to create a fully circular economy for plastics.
Work restarts at UK's first commercial refinery for recycled metals from e-waste
Work to create the UK's first commercial-scale refinery extracting precious metals from waste electronics and electricals has restarted after Covid-19 related delays, meaning that the facility should become operational within 12 months.
Magnum to roll out recycled plastic ice cream tubs globally
Ice cream brand Magnum is set to introduce plastic tubs consisting of recycled plastic across all its markets, a move that will see an estimated 160,000kg of certified recycled material used by the end of 2020 across Europe.
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.
