March 2025 – Page 6 – WEISSNERCONSULTOR

Construction begins on £100m tyre-to-fuel facility in Sunderland

Construction begins on “UK’s first fully circular” tyre-to-fuel facility dedicated to the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) value chain at the port of Sunderland.

Tyre-to-fuel business Wastefront said the new facility is the largest of its kind in Europe. The facility’s first commercial phase will start at the end of 2026, with the second phase launching a year later.

Once fully operational, Wastefront said the plant will process 10 million end-of-life tyres annually and convert them into tyre-derived oil for refining into SAF and other sustainable fuels.

Vianney Valès, CEO of Wastefront, commented: “Our circular process not only prevents millions of tyres from being discarded in landfills but also provides a scalable, cost-effective pathway for SAF production.

“This process will also reduce lifecycle emissions by more than 80% compared to fossil fuels. The Sunderland facility is just the beginning – we aim to expand rapidly to meet the growing demand for sustainable fuels.”

Our circular process not only prevents millions of tyres from being discarded in landfills but also provides a scalable, cost-effective pathway for SAF production.

The Sunderland facility utilises an advanced heating process without oxygen called pyrolysis technology to convert end-of-life tyres into tyre-derived oil, which will be refined into SAF.

Wastefront said its system is self-sustaining and recycles the gases generated during pyrolysis to power its operations.

By 2030, Wastefront aims to operate four large-scale plants, collectively producing 128,000 tonnes of oil annually, which it says will yield approximately 90,000 tonnes of SAF.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended at the Port of Sunderland by MP for Sunderland Central Lewis Atkinson, leader of Sunderland City Council Cllr Michael Mordey, and Wastefront CEO Vianney Valès.

MP for Sunderland Central Lewis Atkinson said: “This £100 million investment by Wastefront is a huge vote of confidence in Sunderland, our workforce, and our region’s future as a leader in green innovation.

“The Port of Sunderland is rapidly becoming a hub for cutting-edge industry, and this project will create skilled jobs for local people while also securing our position at the forefront of the UK’s net-zero economy.”

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New EfW facility in Leeds accepts first waste delivery

A new Energy-from-Waste facility in Leeds has accepted the first delivery of unrecyclable waste as 200 tonnes arrive at the site.

enfinium, a leading UK Energy-from-Waste (EfW), said the Skelton Grange is important for the development of a circular economy and decarbonisation of unrecyclable waste for West Yorkshire and the wider region.

Once operational, enfinium said the facility will divert up to 410,000 tonnes of unrecyclable waste from landfill every year and generate up to 49MW of energy enough to power over 100,000 UK homes.

Commenting on the delivery, Dan James, Plant Manager for Skelton Grange, said: “We are pleased that Skelton Grange has achieved this milestone as the project moves towards completion in 2025.

“EfW facilities play an incredibly important role in contributing to a circular economy and reducing emissions from the waste sector by diverting our unrecyclable waste from landfill.”

enfinium said the site’s construction created over 400 jobs and generated £500 million in investment and, once operational, the facility will create over 40 full-time roles.

In February 2025, the low carbon heating and electricity scheme Aire Valley Heat and Power Network in Leeds, which will utilise waste heat from enfinium’s Skelton Grange facility, was awarded £19.5 million in funding from the Government’s Green Heat Network Fund.

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Recycling rates for English households fall to 43.4%

England’s recycling rate for “waste from households” fell by 0.7 percentage points to 43.4% in 2022 compared to 44.1% in 2021.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) released statistics on local authority collected waste management for 2022/23, showing a fall in recycling rates.

“Waste from households” is the official recycling measure used for reporting at a harmonised UK level.

Household waste is broader than “waste from households” as it includes waste from street bins, street sweepings, and parks and grounds – but it does not include metals from incinerator bottom ash.

In 2022, total “waste from households” decreased to 21.5 million tonnes from 23.1 million tonnes in 2021. Defra said this is equivalent to 377 kg per person, down from 409 kg per person.

The total amount of waste recycled decreased by 8.6% in 2022, falling from 10.2 million tonnes in 2021 to 9.3 million tonnes.

In 2022, the amount of dry material recycled was 5.5 million tonnes, a 7.1% decrease from 2021.

The amount of residual waste treated was 12.1 million tonnes, down from 12.9 million tonnes in 2021, a decrease of 6.0%.

The tonnage of separately collected food waste sent for recycling was 499 thousand tonnes, a decrease of 2.6% from 512 thousand tonnes in 2021.

How are local authorities managing waste?

Energy from waste — 49.1% of all local authority waste was sent to incineration.

Local authority-managed waste decreased by 6% to 24.5 million tonnes in 2022/23.

7.2% of all local authority waste (1.8 million tonnes) was disposed of via landfill in 2022/23. This was down by 0.3 million tonnes a decrease of 16% from 2021/22.

49.1% of all local authority waste was sent to incineration; however, waste sent for incineration decreased by 0.3 million tonnes (2.8%) to 12.1 million tonnes in 2022/23.

10.0 million tonnes of local authority waste was sent for recycling in 2022/23, a decrease of 0.8 million tonnes (7.7%) from 2021/22.

Amongst the 333 local authorities in England, Defra said there is considerable variation in “household waste” recycling rates, ranging from 17.7% to 61.6% in 2022/23.

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What does EfW joining the UK ETS mean for local authorities?

Jane Cherrington, Director – Climate at Local Partnerships and Resource Conference Cymru 2025 Panel Moderator, dives into the challenges local authorities and private waste collectors will face when Energy-from-Waste joins the UK Emissions trading scheme in 2028.

At a CIWM event last year, a colleague described the UK emissions trading scheme (UK ETS) as a silent express train tearing towards us. Even after years of communication about the inclusion of energy from waste and incinerators in the trading scheme, it can certainly still feel that way.

To say UK ETS is a slow burn for the waste sector (no pun intended) could be an understatement.

The primary goal of the UK ETS is to reduce fossil carbon emissions by setting a cap on the total amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted by specific sectors.

Jane Cherrington, Director – Climate at Local Partnerships.

The UK ETS Authority has announced the intention to expand the scheme to cover incinerators and Energy-from-Waste (EFW) plants from 2028, with data gathering starting in 2026. This means EfW facilities will receive or buy emission allowances.

Monitoring, reporting and verification for each tonne of fossil CO2 generated by combustion processes will start next year, so change is fast approaching.

The proposed changes will apply to all household and municipal waste, and that generated by commercial and industrial sources.

There are no exemptions for clinical and hazardous waste within the current proposals. The scheme covers almost any activity which ultimately results in the waste material being burned, so advanced technologies, such as pyrolysis and gasification, are within scope.

What will the cost be?

The potential costs of ETS are not fully known at this stage – the cost of allowances can fluctuate based on market conditions.

As of early 2025, the price of UK ETS carbon permits (UKAs) has varied significantly. For instance, the price hit a low of £31.48 per metric tonne in January 2024 but has been as high as high as £97.48. These values are significant and will soon add up, so those disposing of waste need to be ready.

What could this mean for those who operate and use these facilities, in particular local authorities and private waste collectors?

Local authorities and companies from across the UK are starting to come together to share their knowledge and ideas as they increasingly turn their attention to possible financial and practical implications of the proposed expansion of ETS.

It certainly is great to see knowledge of the new UK-wide scheme growing across the sector.

Facility operators have been exploring how they can adapt to the new requirements through more pre-sorting to remove fossil-based recyclables, ways to make their processing more efficient through CHP (combined heat and power), and the investment in carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS).

Entities that collect waste are beginning to explore how applying the waste hierarchy will provide multiple benefits, but most importantly, in today’s difficult financial climate, how they will tackle cost avoidance.

Although this scheme might increase operational costs initially, it also fosters innovation aimed at reducing emissions and carbon footprints. Ultimately, these changes can lead to significant long-term environmental and cost savings.

Decades of thinking and practical application have shown us that the waste hierarchy and polluter pays principle are two of the most effective foundations of policy for waste and resource management. The UK ETS is no different.

The key points

Here are some key points to help you on your ETS journey:

Review your services and identify opportunities to drive minimisation, increase recycling and improve the quality of what you collect – this could include changes to collections, whether it’s collection frequency to drive recycling, expansions to include additional materials or a refreshed communications campaign.
Engagement with your current residual waste provider is key to understanding potential risks. Start conversations with them to understand how your emissions, and costs, will be calculated. Also, think wider, will there be impacts on any collection or treatment contracts as you reshape your services away from disposal?
Make financial provision from 2028 for the potential cost increases as a result of UK ETS. Your corporate risk registers and medium-term financial plans need to reflect the possible financial impacts.

Areas to watch:

Watch out for guaranteed minimum tonnages on your disposal contract as you divert more fossil-based materials.
Typically, we think of plastic bottles and packaging as fossil-based materials, but what about other products like small electricals that have plastic housing, plastic-based textiles like polyester or even wrapping paper? Diverting or recycling these materials may be more difficult.
Do you have enough processing capacity for the additional recycling and/or new materials, such as flexible plastics and food waste?
Investment in carbon capture and storage has the potential to contribute, but this is still a developing field and is likely to be expensive initially.
Watch recycling contamination levels – reject rates within mixed recycling collections are typically between 5% and 15% and end up in EfW.

Looking ahead, the UK ETS is expected to play a crucial role in the UK’s path to net zero emissions by 2050. The scheme aims to have a profound impact on reducing carbon emissions, driving economic innovation, and improving environmental quality.

While challenges remain, the scheme is a vital tool in the UK’s strategy to combat climate change and transition to a sustainable future. A scheme like this will continue to evolve, becoming more stringent, with a lower cap on emissions and fewer free allowances.

Making long-term investments in reducing the quantities of fossil-based materials we dispose of through applying the waste hierarchy, coupled with making long-term investments in low-carbon technologies can only be seen as a positive – but we need to be ready.

It is never too early to start planning, 2028 is not far away from implementing service changes, securing additional recycling capacity or educating customers. Are you on a journey of change, or are you simply bracing for impact?

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CIWM urges caution when introducing ETS into UK EfW Sector

A new report by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) highlights considerations for integrating the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) into the Energy from Waste (EfW) sector.

The report, produced by Ceres Waste, Renewables, and Environment in partnership with CIWM, calls on UK ETS Authority to ensure that the cost allocation of ETS charges for the EfW sector fully reflects the waste composition and that there is a practical system for ensuring this is the case.

CIWM said it believes failing to do so will not fully incentivise the intended reduction in carbon in EfW feedstock, which it calls the “primary driver” for introducing ETS to the sector.

The report, “The Systemic Impact of ETS on the Resources & Waste Sector”, says that implementing ETS into the EfW sector from 2028 will significantly increase the cost of generating energy from residual waste through the UK’s network of EfW facilities.

Commenting on the potential challenges associated with implementing ETS in the EfW sector, CIWM’s Director of Policy, Communications and External Affairs, Dan Cooke, said: “The costs passed through to EfW must reflect the actual composition of their waste in order to incentivise those who have invested in measures to reduce fossil carbon content in their waste.

“Failure to reward this action would mean there is no business case for change and the ETS would effectively become an EfW tax.”

Failure to reward this action would mean there is no business case for change and the ETS would effectively become an EfW tax.

CIWM said that, whilst ETS won’t impact all stakeholders equally, gate fess will approximately increase by 50% across the board, which could result in an additional £660 million annual bill for UK local authorities.

More positively, the report outlines that implementing ETS into the EfW sector will also provide opportunities such as increased plastics separation, chemical recycling, and carbon capture and storage.

The CIWM report also emphasised the need to ensure that all the revenue collected by the ETS is ring-fenced for interventions that will increase recycling rates, divert fossil plastics out of residual waste, and support the UK in meeting its target of achieving net zero by 2050.

Cooke continued that one of the main issues to overcome is that EfW operators can “do little to influence” the composition of residual waste they receive from customers.

“Brands and manufacturers have the greatest ability to reduce the quantity of fossil content from residual waste through the material choices they make for their products and packaging,” Cooke said.

“These businesses, however, are not directly impacted by ETS, as costs are only passed back to the waste producer and not onto the supply chain.

“Plastic packaging is estimated to contribute 70% of the fossil carbon in residual waste. Selecting alternative materials and/or increasing the recyclability of the packaging would significantly reduce the ETS burden for waste producers and have the greatest impact on reducing carbon.”

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Courtauld Commitment 2030 to become UK Food and Drink Pact

WRAP renames the Courtauld Commitment 2030, the UK’s longest-running food system transformation programme, the UK Food and Drink Pact in rebranding move.

The fundamentals of the programme remain the same but the branding change aligns with WRAP’s other voluntary agreement the UK Plastics Pact.

WRAP, the environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO), has also recently expanded its international focus with the global Food Pact Network.

Nearly 200 organisations across the food and drink supply chain, as well as trade bodies, local authorities and charities, signed up to the Courtauld Commitment 2030.

Current members include Aldi, Arla, ASDA, Bidfood, Co-op, Costa, Danone, Diageo, Lidl, M&S, McDonald’s, Morrisons, Nestle, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Unilever, Waitrose.

Commenting on the rebranding, WRAP’s Cailey Grice, Delivery Manager – UK Food & Drinks Pact, said the UK Food and Drink Pact is a “collaborative, non-competitive and trusted network”.

Grice continued that membership grants businesses access to “evidence-based tools, practical resources and a collaborative working group”.

Members of the UK Food and Drink Pact voluntarily commit to goals led by WRAP, such as reducing food waste by 50% per capita (vs the UK 2007 baseline) by 2030.

The other targets are to halve greenhouse gas emissions arising from the food and drink system (against a 2015 baseline) and ensure that half of all fresh food is sourced from areas with sustainable water management.

WRAP said the targets align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 and United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6.

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CIWM Member Briefing Note: UK joint policy statement on packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR)

The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) breaks down the recent joint policy statement by the Four UK nations on packaging extended producer responsibility.

On Thursday 27 February 2025, the Secretary of State for DEFRA, and Ministers in DAERA in Northern Ireland, Scottish Government and Welsh Government (‘the Four Nations’), published a Joint Policy Statement on pEPR.

The policy statement sets out the intended environmental effects of the pEPR policy, and how the policy will achieve those effects. More specifically, it covers the core governance documents the Scheme Administrator – PackUK – must publish in 2025, the outcomes PackUK will be expected to work towards, and the deliverables the Four Nations will expect in PackUK’s first year of operation.

The full Policy Paper can be accessed here, this Briefing Note summarises the key points.

The key intended outcomes of the Policy Paper

PackUK must act in accordance with the need to facilitate the achievement of the four key environmental effects set out in the policy paper:

the use of environmentally sustainable packaging;
the prevention of packaging becoming waste;
an increase in the reuse of packaging, and in the quantity and quality of packaging materials recycled;
a reduction in the packaging material placed on the market.

Core PackUK governance documents expected deliverables

The policy statement details two core governance documents; a strategy (to be published no later than June 2025) and an ongoing operational plan (updated annually no later than 28th February).

Strategy

PackUK’s strategy should contain:

objectives, functions, and the outcomes it seeks to achieve;
governance and delivery arrangements, and how these support the outcomes of pEPR;
how PackUK intends to engage with those with a legitimate interest in the way it performs its functions;
how PackUK intends to measure and report on delivery of its objectives and scheme outcomes.

Operational plan

PackUK’s operational plan should cover their:

priorities for the coming financial year;
forecasts of disposal costs of local authorities and for public information campaigns;
approach to calculating disposal fees payable by liable producers;
proposed public information and other communication activities in the operational year.

Key “Year 1” deliverables for policy measures

PackUK will be expected to deliver four key deliverables:

Producer base fees and modulation

PackUK should publish final base fees for the 2025/26 year no later than June 2025.

PackUK will be expected to publish a statement of policy on modulation as “soon as is practical” after its establishment and then review that policy at least every three years thereafter.

The Four Nations expect this first policy statement to be published alongside PackUK’s strategy, no later than June 2025, which should seek to:

drive producers to use household packaging that is easier to recycle or reuse;
apportion fees to material groups in a way which supports the delivery of the intended outcomes of the scheme, factoring in disposal costs and improved environmental outcomes, including where feasible carbon impact;
articulate how modulation in particular will encourage the use of easier to recycle packaging and a move to reuseable alternatives;
articulate how fees will support recycling at scale.

Local authority efficient and effective management of packaging waste

An estimate of payments that will be made to local authorities must be provided to local authorities as soon as reasonably practicable for the 2025 assessment year. For subsequent years, the Scheme Administrator must provide an estimate of payments no later than 1 November ahead of that assessment year.

Public information campaigns

PackUK must deliver public information campaigns to provide consumers and businesses with information about how to recycle, re-use and dispose of packaging, and prevent packaging from becoming litter.

Measuring and reporting on progress

In its Strategy, Packflow is required to set out how it will measure and report on delivery of its objectives and outcomes. The key performance indicators it will apply will be set out in its yearly Operational Plan.

In addition, the Four Nations expect PackUK to use the Strategy and Operational Plan to set stretching objectives, goals and performance standards that take account of expectations set out in this policy statement and deliver against both scheme outcomes and a quality service for businesses and local authorities who interact with them.

The Four Nations will monitor PackUK’s performance, including through their annual report, the first of which will be due by 30 September 2026 for year 1 of EPR for packaging, and each year thereafter.

Should PackUK fail to set suitably stretching objectives, goals or performance indicators, or deliver against them, the Four Nations will consider whether it is appropriate to rely on their powers contained in regulation 59 of the Packaging Regulations 2024 to formally direct them to take, or refrain from taking, specified actions in order to improve performance.

Further details and information about PackUK can be found here.

Information and general guidance on the pEPR regulations can be found here.

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30+ Best Decentralized Finance Applications [Updated]

For the past few months, Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is one of the hot topics in the blockchain space. Everyone is focused on the growth of decentralized finance applications, which will finally make our economic model transparent.

DeFi is using blockchain technology to ensure that our financial system is fully decentralized, distributed, and secured, unlike traditional means. In reality, it’s one of the fast-growing sectors in the crypto space.

Feeling intrigued? Let’s check out some of the popular decentralized finance applications on the market that you can try out today. So, let’s start!

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What Are Decentralized Finance Applications?

Before we start looking into DeFi applications, I’ll briefly explain the concept behind Decentralized Finance. DeFi is a peer-to-peer finance system or network that is powered by decentralized technologies. In simple terms, it’s actually the shift from a centralized and traditional financial system to a more decentralized and peer-to-peer network.

Decentralized finance companies are bringing an entire ecosystem full of applications starting from borrowing and lending platforms to tokenizing assets. So, in this case, decentralized finance applications are nothing more than blockchain or distributed applications developed specifically for the financial industries.

Also, most of these applications are using Ethereum as the underlying technology. In reality, our traditional financial system mainly runs on centralized infrastructure, which is highly flawed. On the other hand, decentralized finance applications get rid of the issues that come from the centralized infrastructure. So, it’s a great approach to digitizing this sector without any issues with the legacy systems.

Therefore, if you only have an internet connection, you can access all these Defi apps built to streamline all your financial needs. The breakthrough of DeFi is really changing the scenario of our financial systems. Now we can use crypto assets in so many ways that were never possible with real-world currencies. The paradigm shift in the economic infrastructure presents us with a lot of opportunities and gets rid of risks and trust issues.

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Best Decentralized Finance Applications in The Market

From synthetic assets to DAOs, decentralized finance companies are unlocking opportunities for a completely new economic model around the world. More so, the vesta mount of use cases of this sector is proof that this is more than just a bunch of DeFi projects.

It’s an integrated effort to develop a complete ecosystem of finance that shifts from traditional centralized services. Therefore, let’s look at the best-decentralized finance applications to understand what benefits you can expect from these.

So, let’s start!

Asset Management

Decentralized finance applications will help you be the sole custodian of your information. Therefore, it includes managing your crypto asset as well. Many crypto wallets will help you securely and efficiently interact with applications for selling, buying, transferring, and earning interest on your assets.

So, in the DeFi projects space, you will own your data, not any third parties or any government agencies.

MetaMask: MetaMask offers the security and usability needed for a getaway to blockchain applications. However, it’s also a wallet, and it can handle account management along with connecting any individual to the blockchain. More so, it even offers hardware wallets, which is totally isolated from the site.
Gnosis Safe: Using this application, you can fully customize and manage all your crypto assets. It even allows you to store them on multiple devices. For example, it offers EOA-based wallets, hardware wallets, paper wallets, or even a combination of these three.

Compliance and KYT

Basically, in the traditional finance companies, know-your-customer guidelines help counter-the-financing-of-terrorism (CFT) and promote anti-money laundering (AML). However, as the system is fragile, hackers can hack through the system and easily bypass all the security protocols.

Therefore, DeFi takes this system to a new height. Without focusing on customer identities, they are focusing on customer addresses. So, instead of know your customer, the applications focus on know-your-transactions (KYT). This helps to prevent risk in real-time and gets rid of any options for financial crimes.

Codefi Compliance: This application offers KYT processes that help businesses to assess any risky behaviors from the very start. Therefore, it can offer CFT and AML checks to identify any fraudulent activities or even terrorisms.
KYC-Chain: KYC-Chain is another application that offers you an array of features. You will get KYC and AML checks, identity and verification, crypto wallet AML, scalable and secure network, and access to the Selfkey network.

DAOs

DAO is actually a decentralized autonomous organization that focuses on decentralized and transparent business models. Basically, these types of organizations are based on blockchain technology and are incredibly different from traditional organizations.

Anyhow, there are applications that focus on managing financial operations, fundraising, and maintaining decentralized governance in DAOs.

Maker: MKR holders actually governs the MakerDAO protocols. And this will include adjusting policy for Dai, improving governance, selecting different collateral types, offering security and transparency.
Compound: Compound is also another application for DAO, where the decentralized community is the COMP token holders. More so, they can propose or even vote on upgrades related to the primary protocol.

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Data and Analytics

Decentralized finance applications come with unprecedented transparency for network activity and transactional data. That’s why using DeFi protocols can help you in data analysis, discovery, and profound decision-making opportunities. The explosive popularity of these applications is leading to the development of various dashboards and tools. In reality, some of them can even help you assess any platform risks, track the value of your assets, and compare them for the liquidity process.

Codefi Data: Codefi Data is a suite for data management and analytics. You can use this solution in the investment ecosystem, such as public blockchain tokens, digital assets, decentralized finance protocols, and so on. Other than this, it also offers performance metrics and security.
DeFi Pulse: It’s a DeFi live tracker. Here, you can find all the latest rankings of DeFi protocols and their analytics. Typically, they track the total value that is locked into the smart contacts of these applications.

Derivatives

Using Ethereum based smart contracts, DeFi is now introducing a new type of tokenized derivatives. Usually, these derivatives are directly linked to an underlying asset, and the performance shifts based on that asset.

More so, you can use DeFi derivatives to represent any real-world bonds, currencies, commodities, and even cryptocurrencies.

bZx: It’s a margin lending protocol based on Ethereum blockchain. Furthermore, you can use this application to build other platforms that offer borrowing, lending, and trading facilities. So, even if you are a borrower or lender, you will be the one in control of the keys.
dYdX: dYdX is a great application that will let you trade, borrow, lend, and even manage your assets directly. More so, you can use your crypto holdings as collateral for borrowing other assets. Tracking your performance and your assets is quite easy as well.

Infrastructure Development

Applications of decentralized finance offer composability. In reality, it means that it allows different components within a system to easily communicate, connect, and interoperate. Using this technique, communities are building upon what other developers have already built, making it one of the most prominent and powerful networks at this moment.

You can think of building DeFi applications like building with Legos. There are lots of tools dedicates specifically to the infrastructure development of blockchain platforms. More so, these are definitely some of the best tools that developers tend to love for their blockchain solutions.

Truffle Suite: Truffle Suite is a combination of development tools that will let you create a new infrastructure from scratch. It contains three tools for compiling, testing, debugging, and deploying – Truffle, Ganache, and Drizzle.
Infura: Using Infura, you can immediately connect your application to their APIs and use their support for interface to run your app. The best part is that you can do it with only 1 single URL. More so, they offer management services so that you can focus on project development.

Decentralized Exchange

Another popular use case of DeFi is the well-known decentralized exchange applications. Mainly these are cryptocurrency exchanges that don’t need any central authority. More so, it allows users to transact directly with other peers and ensure that the control remains only to the users. Thus, it helps to reduce any price manipulation, any kind of theft, or hacks.

Furthermore, these decentralized exchanges offer liquidity for certain projects, mainly when it comes to rival centralized exchanges.

More so, some exchanges may use decentralization to a certain extent without fully getting rid of the centralized servers.

AirSwap: AirSwap is a great peer-to-peer trading decentralized finance application. In reality, it uses Ethereum as the underlying technology. More so, you won’t need any fees, deposits, or sign-ups to trade. It also offers a secure and easy to use interface that promotes liquidity of the assets.
Uniswap Exchange: This is also based on Ethereum and offers automated liquidity protocol. The formula they use is quite unique, and they use non-upgradeable smart contracts for that. Therefore, you can access trusted intermediaries, great security, censor resistance, and prioritize decentralization using this.

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Gaming

Decentralized finance applications are in the gaming world as well. More so, using these applications, gamers can now unlock the opportunity to handle their in-app purchases without any risks of credit card hacks. More so, these applications now offer unique incentive models, which is hard to come across in typical gaming experience.

This will surely enhance your gaming experience without worrying too much about your finances.

PoolTogether: It’s an audited savings game where there is no-loss for you. Additionally, it uses Ethereum to make it completely decentralized. All you have to do is use Dai to get tickets from the pool. Every single Dai in the pool will get interest, so it’s a win-win situation for everyone.

Borrowing and Lending

Borrowing and lending use one of the most prominent use cases for the applications of decentralized finance. In reality, users can lend their cryptocurrencies to a lending pool and earn interests based on that. Based on their criteria, many applications match the borrower and lender, getting rid of any trust issues along the way.

Aave: It’s an open-source protocol that creates different kinds of money markets. Here, you can earn interest based on your borrowing and depositing assets. More so, depositors are responsible for increasing the liquidity, and borrowers can borrow any asset in undercollateralized or overcollateralized fashion.
Dharma: Dharma offers a suite of developer tools and smart contracts that helps in lending and borrowing crypto-assets. More so, the application offers access to 2000+ tokens, where you will need no Gas fees for trading. You can even withdraw anytime you want.

Identity Management

You can pair applications of decentralized finance with blockchain-based identity systems to give users access to a global economic platform. More so, this will help users get access to their own identity and use it as portable identification whenever they need it.

On top of this, you can expect high security for your financial information and your personal documentations because no third party can get access to it. You can even choose to share partial information to your clients without disclosing your personal data.

Civic: Civic is a decentralized identity ecosystem. Here, you will have to verify your identity once, and then you can use it as much as you want. Furthermore, you can choose which company you trust to share your information. So, you don’t have to overshare anything else.
uPort: At uPort, you will be getting a self-sovereign identity with just a few clicks. In reality, this tool will offer any individual to share their data in a secure, simple, and private way. It comes in two variations – the public and private sectors.

Insurance

DeFi is surely talking over the insurance industries as well. Due to the lack of proper management and security, this sector deals with contract breaches and false insurance claims. Also, the process of insurance claiming takes a lot of time. That’s why a number of innovative decentralized application in this spectrum is using blockchain to protect and cover contracts and help to streamline insurance claims faster.

Etherisc: DIP Foundation supports the ecosystem, and it contains oracle providers, product builders, resellers, risk pool keepers, claim adjusters, underwriters, and relayers. Anyhow, it’s a great application for building risk transfer solutions solely for the insurance industry.
Nexus Mutual: Nexus Mutual is a unique application that gets rid of the concept of insurance companies. Here, you can share the risk with other parties in a pool without needing any company to back it up. More so, they offer a backup solution for any disaster like faulty smart contracts or DAO hack.

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Margin Trading

In reality, margin traders can borrow funds from a lender and utilize their trades in a typical finance system. However, in DeFi, this trading is fully decentralized and offers non-custodial lending protocols. Due to the fact that smart contracts are connected to the majority of this type of application, many call them “autonomous money markets” at the moment.

Fulcrum: Fulcrum is a decentralized finance application for tokenizing margin trading and lending processes. It doesn’t need any KYC and AML, and it offers non-custodial solutions. The automated renew and no rollover fees help to maintain a seamless experience.
DDEX: DDEX offers instant borrowing, interest in lending from the start, and 5x leveraged trading. More so, all the smart contracts are audited and secured along with accessible mobile devices.

Stablecoins

Stablecoins fall under the spectrum of DeFi as well. Mainly these are cryptocurrencies, but they are pegged to any kind of stable asset. It can be fiat money, or gold, or even other cryptocurrencies. In reality, stablecoins are here to reduce the volatile nature of cryptocurrencies and make them a good source of digital currency. At present, many central bank digital currency (CBDC) protocols are using stablecoins.

Dai: Dai is a stablecoin that is pegged against USD. Here, 1 Dai = 1 USD. The stablecoin uses Ethereum based platform, and MakerDAO is governance behind it. In reality, there is no discrimination when it comes to Dai as it offers stable pricing all the time.
Gemini Dollar: Gemini Dollar is also pegged against the U.S. dollar. Here, it’s in a 1:1 ration to USD. More so, it offers high scalability and usability in any environment, getting rid of all volatile nature of traditional cryptos.

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Online Marketplaces

Online marketplaces are another great use case of DeFi. The applications of decentralized finance help users exchange products directly without any third party. More so, it also promotes globalization when it comes to online marketplaces. You can even do freelance gigs on these applications if you want to.

Gitcoin: Gitcoin is a marketplace for your development work. It’s an open-source marketplace, which means all your development work here will be for the public. It offers workshops, a growing environment for your projects, and certain payouts to help you keep contributing.
Ethlance: It’s a different take on the blockchain, which is kind of similar to popular platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, etc. But instead of getting paid in money, you will get paid in Ether. At the moment, they are not taking any cut from your payouts, so any money you are making from it is completely yours.

Payments

Well, the primary use case of the DeFi application starts off with a peer-to-peer payments system. That’s why most of the best decentralized finance applications offer this functionality to all the users. In reality, blockchain technology is more than enough to ensure a secure and direct connection to other users without needing any third-parties.

But DeFi payments takes it to a whole new level. It’s creating a more open space for safely sending and receiving payments around the globe.

Request Network: It’s a payments network that uses IPFS and Ethereum. Anyhow, using this application, you can get access to standards, infrastructures for building your very own payments project.
Groundhog: Groundhog is an awesome toolbox developed specifically for creating subscriptions that are crypto-based. In reality, adding Groundhog to your application is a simple task with only a few lines of code. More so, you can transfer money to this wallet using any crypto wallet or a bank account.

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Prediction Markets

There are many applications of decentralized finance solely built for prediction markets. In reality, these applications can easily analyze the data and consumer behaviors to successfully predict any changes.

In any case, market prices can indirectly indicate certain events. Thus, these applications analyze the situation and can offer you the results around the economic event, election results, and even sports games.

Augur: Who doesn’t like prediction market apps? Augur is now one of the leading prediction market applications on the market with no limit to what you can bet on. It totally is up to you on how much you want to bet on.
Gnosis: Gnosis is rather a platform that lets you develop prediction market solutions based on Ethereum. So, it’s more of a developer’s tool where they can get access to resources, information, and financial infrastructures.

Synthetic Assets

These are more or less related to stablecoins. In reality, these assets are a mixture of other assets such as fiat money, gold, or cryptocurrencies for offering a stable value. For example, a certain percentage or fiat money and gold can make up a synthetic asset.

Furthermore, this process helps to absorb any price shock that may happen later in the future. So, if the prices of gold fluctuated, the fiat money can back it up and make the end value stable.

Synthetix: Synthetix is a unique application that offers a mixture of various assets for a stable value asset. At present, it’s the backbone of derivatives trading with synthetic assets. Anyhow, Synthetix Network Token backs up every single asset on the application.

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DeFi Applications Are Changing the Future of Our Economy

DeFi apps are slowly but surely changing the economic model of the world. Even a decade ago, imagining a completely decentralized finance system was impossible. However, blockchain technology is slowly paving the way for offering us the next technological revolution. Although these applications aren’t perfect, these are still managing to replace the error-prone legacy systems.

*Disclaimer: The article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide any investment advice. Claims made in this article do not constitute investment advice and should not be taken as such. 101 Blockchains shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this article. Do your own research!

The post 30+ Best Decentralized Finance Applications [Updated] appeared first on 101 Blockchains.

EPR Scheme Administrator to publish final base fees in June

A joint statement from the four UK nations has announced the extended producer responsibility (EPR) base fees for 2025/26 will be published by June 2025.

The policy statement was made jointly by the Environment Secretary, and Ministers in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs of Northern Ireland (DAERA) in Northern Ireland, Scottish Government and Welsh Government.

The policy statement outlines the environmental effects the four nations want EPR to achieve.

These are:

The use of environmentally sustainable packaging;
the prevention of packaging becoming waste;
an increase in the reuse of packaging, and the quantity and quality of packaging materials recycled;
a reduction in the packaging material placed on the market.

In the policy statement, the four nations said they expect PackUK, the EPR scheme administrator, to publish its first policy statement alongside its strategy, no later than June 2025.

The four nations said the first policy statement should drive producers to use household packaging that is easier to recycle or reuse.

The statement said that an estimate of payments that will be made to local authorities must be provided “as soon as reasonably practicable” for the 2025 assessment year.

For subsequent years, the Scheme Administrator must provide an estimate of payments no later than 1 November 2025 ahead of that assessment year, the four nations said.

PackUK is required to set out how it will measure and report on the delivery of its objectives and outcomes. The key performance indicators it will apply will be set out in its yearly Operational Plan.

The four nations said they will monitor the scheme administrator’s performance through PackUK’s annual report, which is due by 30 September 2026 for year one of EPR for packaging and each year thereafter.

Packaging recycling targets 2025 to 2027

Material or process	2025 business target	2026 business target	2027 business target
Paper	75%	77%	79%
Glass	74%	76%	78%
Aluminium	61%	62%	63%
Steel	80%	81%	82%
Plastic	55%	57%	59%
Wood	45%	46%	47%

The post EPR Scheme Administrator to publish final base fees in June appeared first on Circular Online.

Understanding the Bitcoin Halving Cycle and Its Impact on 2025 Market Trends

In the realm of cryptocurrency, the bitcoin halving cycle is one of the most important events that cryptocurrency traders all across the globe look forward to. If you have limited insight into the concept of Bitcoin halving, you do not have to worry. Now is the perfect time to broaden your knowledge of the Bitcoin halving cycle.

Every crypto enthusiast, trader and financial expert understands the immense potential of Bitcoin halving. The event may not only redefine the crypto space but also the entire global financial landscape. Whether you belong to these categories or not, you need to have an answer to the question, ‘What is the BTC halving cycle?’ Let us explore the topic at an in-depth level and uncover how it may shape the crypto market in 2025.

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An Insight into the Bitcoin Halving Cycle

Bitcoin halving, which is also called halvening, is a special event that occurs roughly every four years. It takes place within the bitcoin network. In the event, the number of new bitcoins that come into existence and circulated are cut by 50 %.

Are you wondering about the purpose of such a happening? Then, the answer is quite simple. Bitcoin halving ensures that there exists proper control over the supply of bitcoins. Hence, it is possible to ensure its stability over a period of time. That’s not all! Bitcoin halving even helps maintain the value of bitcoin by ensuring the prevention of inflation in case there is a quick rise in their prices. Now that you have a basic insight into Bitcoin halving, you must certainly keep a tab on the Bitcoin halving chart.

As it is possible to mine a total of 21,000,000 bitcoins, the bitcoin halving practice is considered to be of high significance. In fact, cryptocurrency traders mark important bitcoin halving dates so that they can keep a tab on the important occurrence.

Relevance of Bitcoin Halving Cycle

The relevance of bitcoin halving cycle lies in the fact that it reduces the rate at which the creation of Bitcoin takes place. The bitcoin halving process occurs every 210,000 blocks. As a result, the reward for the mining of new blocks is basically cut in half. The event is of immense value for bitcoin traders. This is because it ensures that there exist incentives for miners to support the Bitcoin network on an ongoing basis.

Moreover, the 4-year bitcoin halving cycle also plays a catalytic role to safeguard against manipulation in the market. Thanks to the event, you can rest assured that there are no hoarders who may be accumulating bitcoins beyond their fair share.

The last bitcoin halving event was in April 2024 and the next event is expected to be held around 2028. It is expected that the event will go on until the year 2140 so that the mining of 21,000,000 coins can be complete. So, if you are passionate about cryptocurrency, especially bitcoins, you must certainly focus on the Bitcoin halving countdown.

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Is Bitcoin Halving Event a Positive Thing?

You might be wondering whether Bitcoin halving is a positive thing or not. Well, it is certainly favourable for the Bitcoin ecosystem. Moreover, it is also a good thing for the market value of Bitcoin. Below are some of the reasons why you must consider Bitcoin halving to be a constructive event.

Countering inflation

One of the main reasons for the high relevance of Bitcoin halving is that it can help counter inflation. The event basically curbs inflation by declining the amount of the reward as well as maintaining the scarcity of bitcoins. The gains of investors in terms of market value might provide inflation protection.

Rising demand of Bitcoins

The halvening event decreases the introduction of the number of bitcoins in the market. Therefore, the overall demand for bitcoins surges in the cryptocurrency landscape. On the basis of past events and patterns, the increase in the demand for bitcoin has led to an increase in their prices. It is certainly a favorable thing for speculators as well as investors.

Innovative investment vehicle

The emergence of bitcoin has undoubtedly led to the expansion of the horizons of the financial landscape. Today, it is definitely believed to be one of the most popular types of investments for investors. Most of the investors certainly consider bitcoin halving to be a form of promise that there will be an increase in the investment value.

High degree of lucrativeness

Bitcoin is definitely one of the most lucrative mining options in the world. Although the price of bitcoins fluctuates, it continues to be an attractive option for people. The fact that the adoption of bitcoin is gradually increasing in pace is further increasing its potential.

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How will Bitcoin Halving Cycle Impact the Cryptocurrency Market in 2025?

In the cryptocurrency arena, one cannot ignore the significance of the Bitcoin halving cycle. This is because the event has the potential to reshape the cryptocurrency market at present. Below are the chief ways in which the event will impact the cryptocurrency arena:

Increase in the adoption of bitcoins

The bitcoin halving event is likely to lead to a surge in the adoption of bitcoins among individuals as well as organizations. Within a short span of time, bitcoin has been identified as a transformational force in the global financial setting. The specific event may play a catalytic role and increase its overall attractiveness and demand at the global level. Therefore, there is a high likelihood that the future of bitcoins in 2025 will be characterized by higher adoption.

Integration of new technologies in the bitcoin landscape

In the current times, when technology is advancing at a rapid pace, new technologies may influence the crypto market. The bitcoin halving cycle may play an integral role in intensifying technological innovation. At present Artificial Intelligence is already making its mark in the crypto market. In the year 2025, new technologies may play an instrumental role to mold the crypto market.

Change in the regulatory landscape

The continuous bitcoin halving cycle that takes place every four years may redefine the regulatory landscape of the crypto market. At present there is an absence of concrete regulations and policies which creates a certain sense of ambiguity. However, the Bitcoin halving event may increase its overall demand and users, thereby pushing regulators to focus on regulations. It can certainly increase the overall attractiveness of the crypto market at the global level.

Growth of the crypto market

Bitcoin is an indispensable element of the crypto market. The Bitcoin halving event is likely to have a positive impact on the overall crypto market. It may help diverse cryptocurrencies to gain prominence at the global level. Thus, more people as well as institutions may be willing to try out the new financial tool. In addition to the rising demand for bitcoins, the demand for other cryptocurrencies may also surge in 2025, ensuring market growth.

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Bright Future of the Crypto Market

The year 2025 may be a transformational year not only for bitcoin but also for the entire cryptocurrency market. That’s right! The bitcoin halving event that took place in the year 2024 may play acritical role to alter the bitcoin landscape and introduce additional users.

It is true that the crypto market is full of promise as well as potential. However, at the same time one cannot negate that there exists a certain degree of uncertainty. Sudden events may occur that may shape the market. For instance, governments of nations may introduce complex regulatory requirements that may impede innovation in the crypto market.

Even though the crypto space has a certain degree of uncertainty, you cannot deny the fact that it has immense potential. Its attractiveness is evident from the fact that within a short period, it has shown the power to revolutionize the conventional financial landscape. One needs to wait and watch to witness how bitcoin halving cycle can transform the crypto market in 2025.

Conclusion

When discussing the topic relating to bitcoin, it is not possible to leave out the bitcoin halving cycle. It is certainly one of the most important events in the crypto space. In the past, bitcoin halving events have played a catalytic role to revolutionize the cryptocurrency setting. The year 2025 may certainly witness diverse trends as well as occurrences due to Bitcoin halving.

As a person who is passionate about cryptocurrency and bitcoin, it is necessary to focus on the bitcoin halving cycle since it can redefine the trajectory of the entire crypto market. That’s not all! One may also feel its impact beyond the crypto space.

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