Articles from April 2025

A significant majority of UK voters believe local councils are failing to adequately address litter and pollution, according to new polling data released by the Nature 2030 campaign just days before the local elections.

The research reveals that 74% of respondents think their local authority is not doing enough to tackle litter. Additionally, 72% say councils should face legal action if they fail to clear dumped rubbish, and 73% believe ministers should intervene directly during refuse worker strikes, such as those currently affecting Birmingham.

As Prime Minister Keir Starmer prepares for his first major electoral test since last summer’s general election victory, the findings suggest environmental issues could play a pivotal role in shaping voter behaviour. Forty-three percent of respondents said they are more likely to support parties that prioritise tackling waste and pollution.

The polling also uncovered dissatisfaction with plastic waste, with 78% of voters agreeing there is still too much single-use plastic in food and drinks packaging. Despite plans to introduce a UK-wide Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) by October 2027, more than half of those surveyed (51%) were unaware of the initiative.

“Voters want both councils and producers to be held accountable for tackling our litter crisis.”

Campaigners argue that both councils and the government are falling short in informing the public about efforts to reduce waste. Data from the Marine Conservation Society adds to the concern, showing a 9.5% increase in plastic pollution on UK and Channel Islands beaches between 2023 and 2024, with all five of the most commonly found items made of plastic.

There is also strong support for shifting the financial burden of clean-up efforts away from taxpayers. Seventy-six percent of respondents believe packaging producers—not the public—should pay for litter collection and recycling schemes. However, industry groups have raised concerns over the cost of compliance with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations and the forthcoming DRS.

Commenting on the findings, Sarah Dyke, Liberal Democrat MP for Glastonbury and Somerton, said: “This research shows the public urgently want to see concrete action to boost recycling while stamping out our reliance on unnecessary single-use plastics.”

Dominic Dyer, Chair of the Nature 2030 campaign, added: “Voters want both councils and producers to be held accountable for tackling our litter crisis. Candidates in Thursday’s elections should take note – the public want meaningful change, not empty promises.”

Catherine Gemmell, Policy and Advocacy Manager at the Marine Conservation Society, urged local councillors to take legislative action at the community level, including banning balloon releases and promoting litter education in schools.

The findings underscore a growing public demand for coordinated and decisive action to combat waste and pollution across all levels of government.

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New research by Eunomia shows that implementing universal kerbside collections for waste batteries and electricals across the UK could save £6bn over the next decade.

The research, conducted by Eunomia for the Environmental Services Association (ESA), investigated the costs and benefits of various options for collecting small waste electrical devices and batteries at the kerbside.

If a kerbside scheme was rolled out today, Eunomia estimates that the number of waste fires would drop from over 700 a year to just over 100 and that the capital expenditure needed to implement the new service would equate to around 70 pence per household.

A coalition representing the waste management sector and local authorities has written to Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh calling for “urgent policy reform” to implement universal kerbside collection of batteries and waste electricals,

The letter also calls on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to ensure producers of these products pay their “fair share” for these new services.

Eunomia recommends that the best way to address battery fires is to implement universal kerbside collections of batteries and small waste electrical devices as part of normal council recycling collections.

With the number of electrical products on the market set to rise, this problem will get worse without intervention.

In its report, Eunomia suggests that the best cost/benefit balance would be achieved by retrofitting existing refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) with external cages, where possible, to safely store batteries and small waste electricals while collecting them on existing recycling rounds.

This should be supported by both national and local communications campaigns, which would be enabled and made more cost-effective by a consistent approach across the country, the report suggests.

Leyla Lugal, Principal Consultant at Eunomia, commented: “Lithium battery fires are hurting people, the economy, and the environment. With the number of electrical products on the market set to rise, this problem will get worse without intervention.

“The only way to implement change effectively and cost-efficiently is through collective action, ensuring strong communications campaigns and widespread national engagement.”

In 2023, more than 1,200 battery-related fires in waste facilities or vehicles were reported and the problem is growing year on year – with a 70% increase in fires between 2022 and 2023.

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Councils warn expanding the Emissions Trading Scheme to include waste incineration could place ‘billions of pounds of unavoidable costs’ onto them over the next decade.

The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is a system which puts a market price on carbon emissions. It currently applies to the aviation industry, and the last government proposed to expand it to the incineration of waste from 2028.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said councils support the expansion but have ‘no meaningful levers’ to reduce the levels of fossil-based waste sent for incineration.

The LGA says the ETS tax could push costs onto councils as high as £747 million in 2028, rising to £1.1 billion in 2036, with a total cost over this period as high as £6.5 billion.

The LGA warns this could force councils to cut back services, instead of targeting manufacturers that produce plastic, in a new report.

Current proposals are hitting the wrong target.

Councils are calling on the UK Government to review plans for the ETS extension to waste to protect local services and prioritise policy and finance incentives on producers to design out fossil-based materials.

The LGA’s report found the new costs would lead to nearly 80% of councils reducing their overall waste and recycling services and a drop in the range of services provided by household recycling centres in 77% of councils.

The report found there would also be a fall in fly-tipping services in 65%, street cleaning and littering in 63%, and street bins provision in 60% of councils.

Cllr Adam Hug, environment spokesperson for the LGA, commented: “Councils want to see a reduction in carbon emissions and support the aims of the scheme, while encouraging recycling efforts, but to succeed we need to see the right incentive in the right places.

“Current proposals are hitting the wrong target. It will load billions of pounds of extra costs onto councils, who will have little choice but to cut back valued local waste and recycling services and net zero projects, while producers of fossil-based material avoid incentives to reduce what they produce.”

Hug continued that the UK Government’s Spending Review is an opportunity to review the proposals and ensure manufacturers reduce the amount of fossil-based waste they produce.

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News updates written by CIWM’s commercial partners.

Augean | Augean Celebrates Achievement in Health, Safety & Wellbeing

We are excited to share some remarkable news from our recent participation in the SUEZ Sustainable Supplier Awards and Market Place Day!

This year, Augean Treatment Ltd was nominated and awarded a highly commended status in the Improving Health, Safety & Wellbeing Category. This recognition is not just a trophy to place on our shelf; it reflects the collective effort, dedication, and commitment of our entire team to prioritising health and safety in all our operations.

A Proud Moment for Our Team

Attending the event was Karen Bryant, Commercial Head of Energy, who graciously accepted the award on behalf of Augean. Her presence at the ceremony symbolised the hard work and the collaborative spirit embedded in our culture. It was a proud moment that encapsulated our focus on pushing the boundaries of health, safety, and wellbeing, not just for our employees, but for everyone we work with.

Behind the Award: Team Effort

This award would not have been possible without the relentless efforts of our Energy team at Augean. Their commitment to weaving health, safety, and wellbeing into our daily operations has played a pivotal role in earning this recognition. It takes a team that is passionate about making a difference, and our Energy team has truly gone above and beyond in this regard.

Furthermore, we owe a significant portion of our success to our trusted suppliers, Lomas Distribution and Hardwick Haulage. Their partnership has enabled us to innovate and implement safer practices, fostering an environment where health and safety are never compromised.

Why Health, Safety & Wellbeing Matter

At Augean, we believe that prioritising health and safety is a foundational pillar of our business. Profit is important, but the well-being of our team, partners, and the environment is paramount. It’s not just about adhering to regulations; it’s about creating a culture that values the health and safety of everyone involved.

By fostering an environment focused on wellbeing, we not only enhance our operational efficiency but also contribute positively to the communities we serve. Working with suppliers like Lomas Distribution and Hardwick Haulage, who share our values, strengthens our resolve to maintain these high standards.

Looking Ahead

Receiving this highly commended status at the SUEZ Sustainable Supplier Awards is just the beginning. We are more motivated than ever to continue our journey to improve health, safety, and wellbeing in our operations. We will keep pushing for innovative solutions and partnerships that promote a safer work environment.

Augean is committed to being at the forefront of sustainability and health and safety practices. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey with us, and here’s to many more achievements in the future!

Optimo | Operations consultancy Optimo releases White Paper on driving sustainability in UK Higher Education

Optimo, an operations consultancy specialising in helping climate and social change organisations achieve sustainable growth, has published a new white paper addressing the practical challenges and solutions for implementing sustainability strategies within UK Higher Education institutions.

Recognising the ambitious sustainability targets set by many universities, the white paper delves into the operational complexities of turning those goals into reality.

It highlights common hurdles faced by institutions, including effective management of interdependent initiatives, stakeholder engagement and data management, and offers actionable strategies for overcoming them.

“The Higher Education sector has a pivotal role to play in driving a sustainable future,” says Danielle, Founder of Optimo. “This white paper aims to provide practical guidance to universities and their mechanisms for effective waste management play a part in helping them achieve their environmental objectives.”

Optimo’s expertise lies in optimising operations to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve sustainability outcomes. The consultancy works across various sectors, helping organisations to streamline processes, manage resources effectively, and implement change successfully.

The white paper is particularly relevant for waste management companies working with or seeking to partner with universities as it provides valuable insights into the specific needs and challenges of these institutions, enabling waste management providers to develop more effective and tailored solutions.

This could include enhanced recycling programs, innovative waste reduction strategies, and data-driven reporting to track progress against sustainability targets.

“We welcome colleagues in the waste and resources sector to download the white paper and consider the opportunities for collaboration and innovation within the Higher Education sector,” adds Danielle. “By working together, we can help universities to not only meet their sustainability goals but to become leaders in environmental stewardship.”

Vision Techniques | Vision Techniques hop into Easter by donating to a children’s hospice

Commercial vehicle safety and security specialists, Vision Techniques, hopped into Easter by caring for their local community.

Derian House Children’s Hospice is located just 20 minutes from the Vision Techniques head office and for Easter the team wanted to support children by donating Easter eggs and lots of fun crafts.

Derian House provides palliative care and respite for 400 babies, children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions across the whole of Lancashire, South Cumbria and North Manchester.

And to say thanks for the work they do, Vision Techniques wanted to give back and provide something to the children to make them smile.

Dave Smith, Managing Director at Vision Techniques said: “Looking after our local community is really important to us and we are always looking for ways to give back and support charities.

“We chose to donate Easter Eggs and crafts to Derian House because they provide amazing support and care to children across Lancashire. Happy Easter to everyone at Derian House.”

Ellie Smith, Community Fundraiser at Derian House said: “Thank you so much for your very kind support and donation, Vision Techniques. Without it we simply would not be able to provide our services to children and families across the North West of England.”

Vision Techniques are the innovative driving force in vehicle safety and security systems, protecting not only vehicles but also the lives of employees, the public and the environments they operate in.

Loved by some of the largest fleets in the UK, Vision Techniques’ products are influencing and changing safety and security standards across industries daily.

EPIC Media | EPIC Media celebrates triple award recognition for standout vehicle graphics

Kent-based vehicle graphics specialists, EPIC Media are celebrating a remarkable run of success on the awards circuit – taking home accolades from three industry-recognised bodies in the space of just four months.

The company, which provides bold, bespoke wraps and quick-change graphics for fleets across the UK, has gained national recognition for its creative impact and technical excellence – especially within the waste management and fleet sectors.

At the Southern Enterprise Awards 2024, EPIC Media was crowned Best Commercial Vehicle Graphics & Signage Company 2024 – South East, reflecting its commitment to innovation, customer service and sector leadership. The award acknowledged the team’s outstanding contribution to regional enterprise and sustainable fleet branding solutions.

In February, EPIC Media’s dynamic wrap for POWERTRACK – titled “Pack a Punch” – received Highly Commended in the prestigious Sign Industry Awards 2025, under the Best Vehicle Graphics (Partial or Full) category. Held at the National Conference Centre in Birmingham, the judges praised the boldness and technical delivery of the wrap, which was installed on a Hillend Engineering vehicle, and was designed to demand attention while on the move.

Most recently, the team scooped Bronze in the ‘Fleet Wrap – 5+ Vehicles’ category at the Sign & Wrap Awards 2025, hosted at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole in March. This award recognised EPIC Media’s expertise in scaling their creativity across large commercial fleets without compromising on impact or quality, working on the project alongside FCC Environmental and London Borough of Waltham Forest.

Kevin Murton, Founder and now Senior Business Advisor at EPIC Media, said: “This recognition means a huge amount to our whole team. We’ve always believed in pushing creative boundaries while delivering practical solutions for our fleet and waste sector clients. These awards validate that approach – and it’s especially rewarding to be recognised across such a variety of categories.

EPIC Media’s distinctive quick-change graphics system continues to be a popular solution for local authorities and waste management companies looking for flexible, high-visibility campaigns. With rising pressure to boost public engagement and demonstrate environmental action, vehicle branding is playing a bigger role than ever in fleet communications.

The company now looks ahead to further innovations in fleet wrapping and messaging – helping customers make every mile count.

Keenan Recycling | Keenan Recycling powers ahead with 100% biomethane food waste trucks

Keenan Recycling is hitting the road with a game-changing new fleet of 100% biomethane-powered food waste collection trucks, designed to revolutionise how food waste is collected and transported in the UK.

As the nation’s largest food waste collector, Keenan is now taking a major step forward in cutting carbon emissions across its operations while offering sustainable, future-ready solutions to commercial businesses nationwide.

Clean trucks, clear conscience

These new trucks run entirely on biomethane, a renewable fuel produced through the anaerobic digestion of food waste itself. That means the very waste Keenan collects is now helping fuel the next day’s collections – a truly circular solution.

Running on biomethane results in up to a 98% reduction in carbon emissions compared to standard diesel trucks. This dramatically lowers the environmental impact of every journey, making Keenan’s food waste collections not just compliant, but climate-positive.

Why biomethane matters

Unlike fossil fuels, biomethane is produced from organic waste materials, specifically the food waste that Keenan collects. This fuel source is cleaner, renewable, and emits significantly fewer pollutants. By transitioning to biomethane-powered vehicles, Keenan is actively contributing to:

• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• Improving air quality in local communities
• Supporting a closed-loop sustainability model

It’s a perfect example of waste being transformed into a valuable resource.

Everyday impact on the road

With this new fleet now rolling out across key regions, Keenan’s commercial customers including restaurants, hotels, schools, offices, and manufacturers are directly benefiting from more sustainable service.

Each bin collected by these trucks avoids landfill, prevents methane emissions from decomposing food, and supports renewable energy generation. Even the collection itself is powered by the very solution it helps create – a rare harmony of efficiency and impact.

From plate to power – a circular success

Here’s how the loop works:

1. Food waste is collected from businesses by Keenan’s biomethane trucks.
2. The waste is processed at anaerobic digestion (AD) plants.
3. The AD process breaks down organic matter to create biogas (biomethane) and biofertiliser.
4. Biomethane fuels the truck fleet, and the biofertiliser goes back to farms.
5. The cycle repeats. Greener, cleaner, and smarter each time.

Leading by example

Keenan Recycling is not only innovating with green transport, it’s reshaping expectations for the waste management industry. With its fleet of 100% biomethane trucks now serving UK businesses, Keenan is proving that environmental responsibility and operational excellence can go hand in hand.

As new environmental regulations in force across the UK, Keenan is already ahead of the curve, helping businesses meet compliance standards while reducing their own carbon footprint through every collection.

Your waste, our responsibility

Keenan’s biomethane-powered trucks are more than just a technological upgrade. They’re a bold step toward Net Zero by 2030, and a commitment to delivering commercial waste services that work for the planet as well as your business.

From cafes and caterers to universities and NHS trusts, if you’re producing food waste, Keenan now collects it with a significantly smaller carbon footprint.

WasteRecruit | Working with AI in Waste Management

Advancement? Innovation? Both are needed in waste management, but can AI deliver on that, or will it require something more?

Waste management has a messy mandate and growth problem. Despite increased processing capacity, more advanced sorting and recycling, and waste management reforms, it still can’t keep up to the growing volumes of waste being produced.

Defra statistics indicate that the UK generated 191, 2 million tonnes of waste in 2020. More recent figures aren’t yet available, but indications are that volumes have continued to increase because consumer behaviour is not changing.

The waste management sector is under pressure to become more effective and more efficient. In other industries the default has been to turn to AI to achieve this. Can it work in waste management?

AI promises advanced capabilities, accelerated processing speed for far greater volumes, and greater accuracy with specific tasks. Waste management is rapidly evolving. Can AI help the sector make inroads in dealing with the growing waste problem, and how open is the waste workforce to working with AI?

Harnessing the AI advantage requires human skill

Growing volumes of waste and increased complexity in processing remain major challenges for waste management. Volume and complexity – AI thrives on it, and this is where it can deliver an advantage.

But AI is not a silver bullet and it comes at a major cost. This is why human skill, insight, and waste management knowledge remain a key enabler when looking to implement AI technologies.

Economic realities require a return on tech investments and the waste volumes certainly aren’t going to pause while use cases and AI applications are fine tuned. The best way to fast-track progress is to combine AI capabilities with human skill.

Currently AI is being used in analysing loads, sorting materials and identifying contamination. AI’s scanning and ability to identify specific materials is making the sorting process far more efficient.

Despite this, a major challenge remains: the spectrum of different materials combined in a single type of packaging is vast. This reduces recyclability and efficiency of the recycling process, but it also provides something valuable – data.

Having the data on the volume of items rejected or excluded from the recycling process helps build the case for demanding more uniform materials to be used by producers. It can be used to inform policies such as EPR and DRS because it places a value on the materials being processed.

AI excels at doing the complex tasks of sorting and optimising, but in waste management applications, humans are often better at connecting this to solutions. While AI has massive capabilities to solve problems, it doesn’t always understand what’s at the heart of them. AI can answer what a material is and how to sort it, but it doesn’t understand why it would be better for it to be a single polymer.

Will adopting AI advance waste management?

Most industry experts will agree that improving waste management requires a multi-pronged approach: Become more effective at collecting waste. Become more efficient at processing it. Get better at tracking materials through their life cycle. But also find ways to influence broader change in commerce and industry.

In each of these processes there are opportunities for automation, powered by AI. Already collection vehicles are optimising their routes using AI. In transfer stations, AI is being used to scan loads, optimise processing to increase the quality and volume of outputs.

What’s next? That’s really up to those working in the industry. By increasing understanding of AI applications and capabilities, even pitfalls, it’s possible to advance how the waste management industry operates – if people are open to it.

Human insight, awareness and ingenuity are what’s driving innovation in waste management, and in many cases, AI is supporting the work being done. Either by helping optimise processes or by providing the data needed for advancement.

In waste management AI isn’t likely to make human skills obsolete, rather it’s an opportunity to expand on how to apply these skills in different situations. Harnessing AI applications has the potential to accelerate the change and progress that the waste management sector needs. It’s going to take human skill to drive progress in the right direction.

Greyparrot | New data reveals a major food-grade polypropylene opportunity for recycling facilities

AI waste analytics leader Greyparrot has released new data that reveals the potential scale and value of food-grade polypropylene (PP) recycling.

The research, published in a new report from Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy, was conducted at four major plastics recovery facilities (PRFs) across the USA. It uncovers a massive supply of high-value, food-grade PP, with implications for both recyclers and brands facing recycled content mandates.

How an abundant supply of food-grade plastic was uncovered

The “What’s in a Bale” report (available here) marks the largest-ever effort to measure the amount of food-grade PP in the recycling stream, doubling as a test of AI’s plastic recognition capabilities at scale.

“This study proves how much value we can uncover when we apply AI to complex waste streams,” said Greyparrot COO Gaspard Duthilleul. “In just three

months, Greyparrot Analyzer units detected 45 million objects — a task that would have taken human teams around four years. In the process we’ve revealed a huge amount of material that brands could be using to meet their recycled content targets.”

Key findings from a landmark polypropylene study

Out of 45 million data points and a detailed comparison between manual and automated recognition, the report’s authors distil three major takeaways for recyclers:

1.   There is an abundant supply of food-grade PP in waste streams

Between 75-85% of detected PP was white or clear, and the vast majority of that higher-value material was foodservice packaging. Those numbers represent an immense amount of food-grade material that could be recycled.

2.   AI remains as accurate as manual sampling at scale

Greyparrot’s system reliably identified and categorised PP items by colour, object type and food-grade status. Facility staff compared the AI’s records to 30,000 manually-sampled objects, and found that the data was a close match.

3.   Real-time data enhances sorting performance

One of the PRFs in the study used the Analyzer system to record a 13% increase in sorted PP quality after a new sorter was installed — suggesting that waste intelligence systems can also be used to fine tune facility performance and make the business case for infrastructure upgrades.

“The ability to distinguish food-grade materials in real time opens the door to a steadier stream of recycled food-grade PP,” said Duthilleul.

“Previously-overlooked materials are now visible, bringing a circular PP value chain into focus.”

Bolstering PP supply to meet growing demand

Recycled content mandates and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies are accelerating the need for high-quality recycled materials across North America, but also in the UK. That is especially true for food-grade applications, where regulators demand higher purity than other recycled materials.

Greyparrot’s team say the report outlines a major opportunity for the recyclers supplying that material — but also for the brands that will be demanding more of it.

“We’re proud to collaborate with Closed Loop Partners to deliver data that moves the entire value chain forward,” said Duthilleul. “The insight we gained into the foodservice packaging at PRFs makes it clear that brands are a critical stakeholder in the plastics value chain — and can play a direct role in bolstering future recycled PP supply.”

To help packaging producers interpret the millions of data points collected for this study, the AI developer has released a companion article detailing three actionable takeaways for brands on their website. Read it here.

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