The news from BIR, the international bureau for recycling, that recycled plastic prices are “under pressure” simply reinforces the opinion in the introductory text that plastic recycling is generally speaking (so far) a failed enterprise. See here. Meanwhile the UK’s Recycling Technologies, the great hope of the UK’s plastic recyclers, has been formally dissolved. See [...]
Wales has opened another consultation, this one on the sale and use of wet wipes. We have until 25th November to reply. See here.
The Government has announced the extension of the Green Gas Support Scheme for biogas through to 2028, giving welcome certainty to the sector. Bio4Tech have published a review on the potential of biogas for the UK here. We hope this opportunity of growth is also the chance to ensure that taxpayers’ money is spent not [...]
The trade association for the Bio-based and Biodegradable Industries welcomes the three-bins ruling but is disappointed about the lack of mandate for use of caddy liners for food waste collection, given 77% of consultation respondents support their use. Defra announced on 21st October 2023 the outcome of its consultation on Consistency in Household and Business [...]
Compiled by Dr Jen Vanderhoven (COO, BBIA), the BBIA has responded to Defra's proposed materials for the modulated fees for EPR. BBIA is surprised and shocked that despite the expertise with Defra, and the devolved nations, it has chosen to put compostable and degradable plastics in the same category as materials such as plastics containing [...]
Lego announced they are dropping the use of recycled PET bottles to make the billions of bricks sold each year but in their announcement was an interesting element – they are looking at increasing the share of biobased plastics to reduce their GHG footprint. See more here.
A study published in the Daily Mail on the ‘toxicity’ of PLA cups caused a lot of friction last month because the study actually does not say this. Reporting wrongly on the issue which is contained in this scientific paper. The Daily Mail and other media came to the wrong conclusions, mostly because the communications [...]
DEFRA has published its first guidance on what it means by ‘Simpler Recycling’. You can see it here. Meanwhile, we are still waiting for the publication of the effective implementation tools that are required to put the policies into place. In the last DEFRA meeting Jen attended, DEFRA promised these ‘soon’.
CIWM have launched a new platform called The World Beyond Waste which you can find here. A series of interviews over several episodes will explore the policy and economic challenges of the waste industry in this ‘pivotal’ moment of transformation.
In a somewhat unexpected move, a new coalition has been formed to promote home composting. Behind the coalition is Trewin Restorick, who said: “The introduction of mandatory food collections is welcome but it’s a waste of time if there is no clear plan from government as to what will happen with the waste collected. Radical [...]