RAM for EPR Updated by PackUK
PackUK has unveiled the second version of its Recycling Assessment Methodology (RAM) for packaging under the extended producer responsibility (pEPR)...
UK single-use vape ban now just weeks away
The UK-wide ban on single-use vapes is now less than two months away, with enforcement beginning on 1 June 2025....
Portugal to Introduce Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in 2026
Portugal is set to become the first country in southern continental Europe to implement a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for...
Environment Secretary delivers landmark speech on circular economy
The Environment Secretary, Steve Reed, has delivered a speech outlining the next stages of moving towards a circular economy in...
Simpler Recycling regulations come into effect for workplaces
As of today (31 March 2025), the Simpler Recycling regulations have come into effect in England, requiring workplaces with ten...
EPR Scheme Administrator PackUK Launched by Defra
PackUK, the official scheme administrator for extended producer responsibility for packaging (pEPR), has officially launched today (21 January 2025). The...
Simpler Recycling Regulations Mandate Separate Collection of Paper and Card
Defra has announced that paper and cardboard must be collected separately under the forthcoming Simpler Recycling regulations, effective from March...
Deposit Return Scheme Legislation Introduced in Parliament
Draft legislation for England and Northern Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) has been laid before Parliament by Defra, marking a...
Wales Exits Joint UK Deposit Return Scheme Development
The Welsh Government has announced its withdrawal from the UK-wide process to develop a unified Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), opting...
COP29: ‘Rapid Action’ Needed to Align Plastics Industry with Climate Targets, Report Finds
A new report by Eunomia Research and Consulting highlights that significant reductions in plastic production and emissions are crucial for...
Defra Hosts Roundtable Ahead of Pivotal Plastics Treaty Talks
On 6 November 2024, the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) held a key roundtable ahead of...
Wales Recycling Rate Rises to 66.6% in 2023/2024
Wales has achieved a notable increase in its recycling rate, reaching 66.6% in 2023/2024, up from 65.7% the previous year....
Autumn Budget: Mass Balance Approved and Carbon Capture Investments Announced
In its first Autumn Budget, the new Labour government introduced key policies for the waste and sustainability sectors. Notable announcements...
Irish Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) Over 600M Returns
Since its launch on 1 February 2024, the Irish Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) has seen over 600 million bottles and...
UK Government Advances pEPR Legislation
The full Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) regulations were formally laid before Parliament on 24 October 2024. These regulations,...
UK to Ban Single-Use Vapes from June 2025
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that a ban on the sale of single-use vapes...
Households Generated 5.6M Tonnes of Packaging Waste in 2023
A recent study has revealed that UK households produced a staggering 5.6 million tonnes of packaging waste in 2023. Of...
CIWM Expanding ‘Green Skills’ for a Sustainable Economy
The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) recently met with Mary Creagh, Minister for the Circular Economy, to discuss the...
Defra to Conduct Internal Regulatory Review
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced plans to undertake an internal regulatory review, spearheaded by...
51% of UK Food and Drink Packaged with Unnecessary Plastic
Recent research by DS Smith has revealed that over half of food and drink items sold in UK supermarkets are...
