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.
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’.
More questions than answers on the future of waste policy Maxine Perella dissects a speech by former environment secretary Michael Gove, which explored Defra's plans for a DRS.
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. 1 comment
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.
Who's really responsible for the litter we produce? With the first round of consultations on the government’s Resources and Waste Strategy out of the way there is now time to reflect on the many questions they have raised.
Looking to the future I was hoping the only form of turbulence, if any, I’d experience this summer would be caused by a plane taking me to a hot, sunny country.
Four simple ways to improve the PRN system Hidden towards the end of Defra’s recent consultation on the reforming of the UK packaging producer system were some very interesting questions that relate equally to the current legislation and the future system, whatever it may be.
What does Theresa May's legacy mean for the waste and recycling sector? As Theresa May signs off her premiership PLMR’s Patrick Cousens looks back on her time in office, and analyses what her latest environmental commitment will mean for the waste and recycling sector. 1 comment
The sustainability balance for supermarkets The negative impacts of climate change are widespread, with David Attenborough calling it a ‘catastrophe’, Swedish schoolgirl climate activist Greta Thunberg labelling it an ‘existential crisis’ and calls for rapid action across all industries.
Has Defra been too ambitious? There’s a lot going on right now with regards to shaping future waste and resources policy. Last
Is England’s planning system able to cope with the demands of the new Resource and Waste Strategy? The last 20 years has seen the UK switch from being landfill dominated, to one which has a healthy mix of recycling and energy recovery. 1 comment
After the protests is an opportunity for action Extinction Rebellion’s climate change protests in London and elsewhere have focused attention on an issue that is everyone’s business, including, of course, the waste management industry.
Collaboration takes the fight to waste criminals As the independent Noel Report outlined in November 2018, the involvement of organised crime in the waste sector is an increasing problem and many stakeholders agree on the need for a more strategic and collaborative approach in tackling it.
The UK waste sector can play a pivotal role on the climate change debate The last few weeks have seen media attention return (hopefully not for a limited time only) from Brexit to global climate change.
Industrial explosions in China showcase the true cost of incorrect chemical storage The industrial explosion at a pesticide plant in eastern China in March was a harrowing message to the worldwide hazardous waste industry on the importance of correct chemical storage.
We must pay more than just lip service to see real environmental change The second annual Global Recycling Day, held on 18 March, invited us all to think about just how much we can be doing to effect positive environmental change.
A drop in the ocean for the fight against plastic Last month, the second annual Global Recycling Day was held.
It's time to choose between recycling and redesigning materials We all agree that we should recycle materials to reduce consumption of new resources ...
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.