Opinion

Recycling & Waste World's opinion articles bring you the latest industry expert and editorial points of view on recycling and waste management on topics such as energy from waste, anaerobic digestion, waste collection and more.

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Landlords, don't fall foul of post-Brexit waste crime

Landowners and landlords are increasingly becoming victims of waste crimes and being saddled with the cost of removing waste from their properties.

Unconventional fuels are the future of the waste industry

There’s no doubt that 2019 has been the year of plastic waste, and it’s rapidly become viewed as the enemy of the waste sector. But should this really be the case?

What does good EfW consultation practice look like?

?If you ask the public to name a renewable energy technology, they will probably say wind or solar energy, and visualise modern, clean technologies which are great for the environment. No one would mention Energy from Waste (EfW).

UK losing billions as valuable metal waste is sent abroad

You would think, at a time of high commodity prices and worrying shortages of industrial metals, that there would be more focus than ever before in the UK on retrieving and refining the valuable metals contained within industrial and household waste. But you would be wrong.

The missing link: Addressing the WEEE and EEE data gap

Producer compliance scheme (PCS) WEEE collection targets have an essential role in contributing to key objectives outlined in the government’s resources and waste strategy – maximising the value of resource use and minimising waste and its impact on the environment.

Media reporting and the evolving UK resources and waste sector

With the General Election only days away, the media coverage of the debates, issues, and back stories continues to ramp up, you can’t really escape the plethora of well-crafted soundbites, well-planned photoshoots, and the obvious political sparring that happens when the UK goes to the polls.

Politicians are finally taking the climate agenda seriously

It’s election fever at the time of writing this column and there’s plenty to munch on for this sector.

How to make heat networks happen in the UK

The benefits of Energy from Waste (EfW) projects go beyond jobs, reduction of greenhouse gases or even supporting local supply chains.

We need to put diversity on the agenda in the waste management industry

I am pleased to report that diversity in our industry seems to have moved up the agenda since my piece last year on the lack of female representation on panels at RWM’s 2018 exhibition.

A lack of public understanding of large scale infrastructure projects is holding the UK back

Just in time for the announcement of a December general election the much-awaited Environment Bill progressed to the Committee stage.

The only thing certain is uncertainty for environmental politics

Many things remain uncertain in Britain today – but one thing we can be sure of is that we have a general election looming.

Scotland's deadline pushback is not a setback

We are in a time of environmental reform. Climate activism is rising, worldwide bans on single-use plastic are appearing, scrutiny over farming emissions is intensifying – but every now and then a reality check hits the deck.

Tech and teamwork can help stop waste crime

With more and more stories about organised criminals dumping illegal waste on an industrial scale – not only in the UK but worldwide – it’s clear there is a need for waste producers, carriers, brokers and dealers to tackle this together.

Conference season is upon us and the take-home messages are a mixed bag

The last month has been perhaps the most hectic period of the year.

It's time to choose between recycling and redesigning materials

We all agree that we should recycle materials to reduce consumption of new resources and reduce the burden on landfill sites. But recycling also has to be cost-effective in economic and environmental terms.

The environment should be seen for what it is- more important than Brexit

July’s bloody cull by new Prime Minister Boris Johnson showed he had little desire to reuse the political assets already sitting in Cabinet.

Preparing for the future despite political fallout

I can't quite believe it's September already.

We need to support our current and future workforce

Here we are, post summer holidays, children back at school and the UK’s largest waste and resources exhibition, RWM, is almost upon us.

We need to update our language to reflect the seriousness of the times

We all recognise the importance of the words we use, but too often the language used in the recycling/resource debate is too conservative, technical, and lacks the impact needed to engage effectively with those we try to influence.

Why should millennials consider an internship in the waste industry?

Millennials and post-millennials, and that includes myself, have been dubbed ‘Generation Green’.

We must build momentum beyond plastics

Firstly I promise to keep this short, as I am about to head off on a family holiday, and secondly events over the last few weeks have left me in a reflective mood.

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One in, one out at Defra may spell trouble ahead

Ever since Michael Gove revealed his ambition to become the next Conservative leader I knew he wouldn’t stay on long as environment secretary, regardless of the outcome of the leadership contest.

War on plastic or a war on waste?

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Anita Rani’s War on Plastic might be critiqued for presenting a somewhat one-sided view of plastic waste in the UK and the solutions around it.

The resources industry holds the key to a sector deal for green industry in the UK

Those of us working in the resources and waste sector don’t have too much difficulty defining the sector or its component parts.

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