Consistency and quality are key to achieving a circular economy It’s been over a year since the Circular Economy Package was adopted by the European Commission in a bid to support the transition towards a more circular economy in the EU. Mark Greenwood, group health, safety and environment director at DS Smith, puts forward the case for addressing ...
New developments in marker technologies are not the 'be all and end all', says Axion New developments in marker technologies for sorting plastic packaging should not be viewed as ‘the answer’ to increasing recycling rates, however they could be valuable in other ways leading to higher quality and value in recycling, suggests Richard McKinlay, head of engineering & research? at ...
Foodservice Packaging Association calls for focus on household food waste The biggest opportunity for food waste reduction is by tackling household food waste, according to Martin Kersh, executive director of the Foodservice Packaging Association, who said that food waste, whatever the source, is unacceptable.
Forget the general election and concentrate on Brexit What does next month’s general election mean for waste management? Tim Knight, head of energy and sustainability at PLMR, suggests the industry should concentrate on guiding the next Government – on whichever side of the political divide it sits – when it comes to waste policy in relation to Brexit ...
The EU shows it is not all talk and no action While negotiations on the Circular Economy Package may be finalised soon, the EU has set its claws into a cartel, including UK-based Eco-Bat Technologies, that allegedly conspired to reduce the price of used car batteries. It also took Romania to court for failing to close 68 illegal landfills. ...
Let's tell the public why waste is not rubbish Much of the public undervalue the waste and recycling services provided to them, while too few young people see resource management as an industry they would like to spend their careers in. Wade Schuetzeberg, executive director, European region at ACN (Europe), explains the need to refresh the ...
Businesses could face increased waste costs on leaving EU if ‘two tier’ supply chains develop Leaving the EU could result in ‘two tier’ supply chains between the UK waste and recycling industry and those of Europe, according to Mark Sayers, principal consultant at resource efficiency specialist Ecosurety which last month responded to a Government consultation on the country’s future ...
Celebrating glass In the USA, September is Glass Recycling Month. Jane Embury, marketing director at glazing system supplier Wrightstyle, takes a look at the wonders of glass and suggests that we should also have a glass recycling month in the UK.
Stop, hazard ahead! Each month, Dr Adam Read, practice director for resource efficiency & waste management @ Ricardo Energy & Environment discusses the big issues from his point of view, and this month reflects on the UK waste market, and just how risky it is to be involved with waste sector services, contracts and ...
EFRA report fails to recognise the achievements of the Hospitality & Foodservice Agreement, says FPA Martin Kersh, executive director of the Foodservice Packaging Association, comments on the recent EFRA inquiry on food waste.
Important to put impact of drinks bottles and coffee cups into context, urges INCPEN INCPEN – the Industry Council for research on Packaging & the Environment – has submitted written evidence to parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee for its inquiry into the effects on the environment of disposable drinks packaging, focusing in particular on the impact of plastic bottles and ...
Chancellor serves up food for thought to waste sector The Budget contained new landfill tax rates, a consultation on upping fines for fly-tippers and, controversially, plans for higher statutory packaging targets. Meanwhile, an inquiry has been launched into plastic bottle and coffee cup waste, and there are calls for a post-Brexit rethink on UK ...
London can show world how green cities work Our capital is far from perfect when it comes to recycling, waste prevention and sustainability, but the Mayor’s green ambitions are both laudable and realistic – and if achieved would make us an exemplar for other cities to follow, says Dr Liz Goodwin, chair of the London Waste and Recycling Board
Refuse operators live in fear of accidentally killing a rough sleeper, says BusinessWaste.co.uk Business Waste's Mark Hall explains how the UK homeless crisis means that refuse collectors live with the fear of accidentally killing a person sleeping in a commercial wheeled bin as they try to keep warm.
Households should eggs-ercise green thinking this Easter, urges DS Smith MD With more than 80 million Easter eggs purchased over the Easter period, creating around 3,000 tonnes of packaging waste, Mathew Prosser, UK managing director at DS Smith Recycling, urges households to follow best practice in recycling.
London mayor's ultra low emission zone plans are unrealistic, says waste MD Jacqueline O’Donovan, MD of O’Donovan Waste Disposal, responds to the news that the mayor of London has set 8 April 2019 as the date for the introduction of the ultra low emission zone in the capital.
Companies must innovate to thrive, urges metal recycler Innovation and ensuring compliance with growing industry regulation will be vital for the future success of the scrap metal recycling sector, says Roger Morton, managing director of metals recycler, S Norton & Co.
Black plastic food trays are 'just the tip of the iceberg', warns Colour Tone director Tony Gaukroger, director of Caerphilly-based manufacturer of coloured and additive masterbatches Colour Tone, warns that the reported 1.3 billion black food trays most commonly used for ready meals that are sent to landfill each year are just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ for Britain’s food packaging ...
Round and round we go – hop on the resources roundabout! Each month, Dr Adam Read, practice director for resource efficiency & waste management @ Ricardo Energy & Environment discusses the big issues from his point of view, and this month reflects on the progress being made as the UK transitions towards a circular economy, and what more can be done for ...
Plastic recycling: A trader's perspective Recycled plastic, by virtue of its non-standardised nature, is usually difficult to buy and sell internationally due to the many uncertainties surrounding any given consignment, reports John Hartley of Ecosky UK.
We must not allow Defra to be distracted by Brexit Defra’s recent ‘WACky’ decision to continue to allow some hazardous waste to go to landfill may be a harbinger of post-Brexit reality and raises questions about the government’s commitment to the wider waste hierarchy, which means the industry needs to stay alert and keep campaigning, writes ...
Why Wales is leading the way on sustainability Lesley Griffiths, the Welsh government’s cabinet secretary for environment and rural affairs, sets out the country’s waste management achievements so far and explains how it intends to make the sustainable use of resources a real priority, whether that be through better product design or a zero ...
Bringing your services in-house. Is it too good to be true? Each month, Dr Adam Read, practice director for resource efficiency & waste management at Ricardo Energy & Environment discusses the big issues from his point of view, and this month reflects on the momentum which is still building behind the in-sourcing debate, something he first discussed on this ...
Do people need classes to get their rubbish right? Whole lorries full of domestic waste are being sent to landfill instead of going for recycling because people are just not separating their rubbish, says BusinessWaste.co.uk spokesperson Mark Hall. 2 comments
UK-wide deposit scheme for plastic bottles makes sense, says SUEZ CEO David Palmer-Jones, CEO of SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, responds to the proposed UK-wide plastic bottle deposit scheme for recycling.
Foodservice Packaging Association calls for focus on household food waste The biggest opportunity for food waste reduction is by tackling household food ...