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.
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?
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.”
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.
The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) breaks down the recent joint policy statement by the Four UK nations on packaging extended producer responsibility.
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.
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.
The controversial landfill site in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, has entered liquidation after being ordered to close last year.
The Environment Agency ordered Walleys Quarry landfill to close after years of complaints from residents over foul-smelling odours.
The regulator said it concluded that the management of Walleys Quarry is poor and that further operation of the site may result in significant, long-term pollution.
Walleys Quarry has been subject to numerous complaints over foul-smelling odours for more than a decade.
Walleys Quarry was required to stop accepting waste and take measures to prevent landfill gas emissions from affecting the local community.
The Environment Agency said it has been informed that Walleys Quarry has entered Liquidation and it has no effect on the existence of WQL or the Environmental Permit.
The regulator said that the liquidators are also bound by “any statutory notices in relation to it that may have been issued”.
Simon Tagg, Leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, said: “I am hugely disappointed but not at all surprised that Walleys Quarry Ltd, a company making what I understand was a substantial income, has not remained to honour its obligations to fully cap off and restore the landfill.
“We understand residents will be concerned by this news and while the Environment Agency remains the lead regulator of this site, and will now need to take control, we will offer both the EA and liquidator any support we can within our powers to keep this landfill under control.”
News updates written by CIWM’s commercial partners.
Bucher Municipal | Bucher Municipal Purchases Land in Dorking, Surrey, for Long-Term Growth and Sustainable Innovation
Bucher Municipal is pleased to announce the acquisition of a significant piece of land from Mole Valley District Council in Dorking, Surrey, UK.
Having celebrated the 100th year on the Curtis Road site last year, this strategic purchase marks a key milestone in securing the future of Bucher Municipal’s operations at the Dorking site, enabling further investment, expansion, and technological advancement.
With the secured land, Bucher Municipal is committed to developing state-of-the-art facilities that will support the introduction of cutting-edge technologies. This investment not only strengthens the company’s presence in the local area but also underscores its dedication to sustainable growth.
By developing the site, Bucher Municipal expects to achieve significant CO2 savings compared to the existing buildings, aligning with its long-term environmental goals.
“We are excited about this acquisition, which represents a pivotal step in ensuring the future of our Dorking site and our continued innovation in the industry,” said Martin Starkey, Managing Director. “This purchase allows us to invest in new facilities, technologies, enhance efficiency, and continue to secure our role in the local economy.”
Bucher Municipal looks forward to working closely with local stakeholders as it embarks on this new chapter of growth and sustainability.
Fleetclear | Cardiff Council makes ‘easy transition’ to Fleetclear Connect
Cardiff Council is consolidating information from its vehicle technology using the Fleetclear Connect platform, which will provide quicker access to vehicle footage and data, and simplify the process of analysis and reporting.
Matt Long, Depot & Infrastructure Manager, Cardiff Council explains: “We are currently trialling 7 vehicles using Fleetclear Connect, which gathers all the data from our vehicle technology, in one place. Feedback from our supervisors is very positive. They find the system very user friendly with a simple, customisable format that means tracking vehicles and gathering valuable data about routes is effortless.
An end-to-end solution Fleetclear Connect brings together all vehicle safety hardware in one place, and combines it with GPS tracking, telematics, advanced data analysis and processing techniques. The system features easy reporting and administrative controls.
Matt commented: “The geofencing tool is invaluable and allows us to search for specific footage from a particular vehicle, in a specific location at a certain time of day, within minutes. We are keen to analyse footage to identify trends, to help us optimise our routes and deal with any issues proactively.”
Cardiff Council has been a customer for over 10 years with Fleetclear cameras fitted to over 90% of its fleet, totalling over 110 vehicles. Fleetclear has also installed camera technology to loading shovels and telehandlers being used at the council’s onsite waste transfer station and Materials Recycling Facility (MRF).
Matt added: “The team at Fleetclear are very diligent and exacting when developing new products and services. Everything is ultra tried and tested, and we are happy to evolve with their new product developments.”
A web-based fleet software system, Fleetclear Connect is a powerful management tool encompassing all aspects of vehicle and driver safety, operational efficiency, and compliance. Suitable for all vehicle types it provides a simplified, user-friendly way to manage vehicles and drivers.
All data is displayed on a dashboard and stored on Fleetclear’s cyber secure servers, where it can be accessed via the internet. Therefore, there are no issues regarding access to the council’s network; any authorised person can access the information they need.
Matt concluded: “Making the transition to Fleetclear Connect is easy as we know everything is on one system. Tracking is integrated and as we are managing thousands of collections each day it’s great to have just one number to call if there are any issues.”
Augean | enfinium and Augean extend strategic partnership to deliver ESG benefits
enfinium, one of the UK’s leading energy from waste (EfW) operators, which is also leading on decarbonisation plans, has entered into a multi-plant arrangement with Augean to collect and treat Air Pollution Control Residues (APCr) from three of its EfW plants.
Augean is the UK’s market leader in the treatment of APCr and has provided APCr collection and treatment services to enfinium since Parc Adfer and Kemsley EfW plants were commissioned.
The new arrangements range in contractual periods from 5 to 15 years and include enfinium’s Parc Adfer and Kemsley EfW plants, as well as enfinium’s proposed Kelvin EfW plant currently under construction in Sandwell, West Midlands.
APCr are residues extracted from EfW plants during their rigorous emissions control process. Augean treats more APCr than any other operator in the UK. The strategic partnership between enfinium and Augean drives best practice and innovation through the recovery of APCr, optimises APCr collection arrangements to reduce road miles and carbon emissions, encourages the use of green fuels, and steps-up on ESG reporting.
In 2023 and 2024 Augean was recognised as a Sector Lead globally in the waste treatment sector by GRESB. GRESB is an independent organisation that provides validated ESG performance data and peer benchmarks for investors and managers to improve business intelligence, industry engagement, and decision-making.
For enfinium, Jane Atkinson, Chief Operating Officer, commented, “Safe and sustainable operations are at the heart of our business. Our renewed partnership with Augean is an important foundation to our day-to-day business of ensuring that unrecyclable waste across the UK is diverted from landfill and used to produce homegrown energy.”
For Augean, Richard Brooke, Chief Executive Officer, commented “Augean is delighted to be selected by enfinium as a strategic partner, extending our APCr treatment services to enfinium’s fleet of EfW plants. We look forward to continuing to add value to enfinium by delivering operational efficiencies, reducing carbon and introducing other ESG initiatives.”
Keenan Recycling | Keenan continues to innovate, becoming the UK’s first waste company to have carbon emissions verified by BSI
Keenan Recycling, a leading provider of sustainable waste management solutions, proudly announces that its baseline greenhouse gas emissions inventory has been formally verified against the internationally recognised ISO 14064-1 standard by the British Standards Institution (BSI).
This achievement marks Keenan Recycling as the UK’s first waste recycling company to have carbon emissions verified by BSI.
The ISO 14064-1 verification by an accredited provider (BSI) validates Keenan Recycling’s robust and transparent approach to measuring and reporting its carbon emissions. This independently verified inventory establishes a reliable baseline against which the company’s Net Zero plan is built, providing a solid foundation for future emissions reduction efforts.
“Our carbon inventory provides the foundation for our carbon reduction planning,” said Fergus Healy, Head of Strategic Development & Net Zero at Keenan Recycling. “Having it verified against ISO 14064-1 by BSI is a significant step in ensuring our emissions reporting meets internationally recognised standards. This achievement further sets us apart in the industry and underlines our commitment to meet our SBTi targets through credible, science-backed sustainability initiatives.”
ISO 14064-1 is a globally recognised standard that provides a framework for organisations to quantify, monitor, and report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
This verification validates Keenan Recycling’s robust approach to measuring and managing its greenhouse gas emissions, reinforcing the company’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and Net Zero leadership in the waste sector.
NWS | First rail deliveries mark milestone in final disposal of legacy radioactive waste
Major milestone underway as work begins to place new protective layer over historic trenches at the Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR) site in West Cumbria.
Nuclear Waste Services (NWS), which manages the disposal of the UK’s low level radioactive waste, is carrying out important work on the final capping of legacy disposal trenches and vaults to permanently dispose of radioactive waste.
Known as the southern trench interim membrane (STIM) project, this phase of the capping work involves placing a new membrane, or protective layer, over legacy disposal trenches which will remain in place for up to 100 years.
Working collaboratively with civil engineering firm GRAHAM and specialist transport and logistics provider Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS) the first rail deliveries of 280,000 tonnes of aggregate arrived on site earlier this month and will be delivered over a three year period.
This is a significant achievement in Capping Operations and will lead to the final closure of the Repository which is currently expected in 2135.
STIM will replace a current interim membrane over part of the legacy disposal trenches. This layer will permenantly protect people and the environment while the radioactivity decays.
The first deliveries will arrive between February and March 2025, with eight deliveries expected each week.
Mike Pigott, Repository Site Director, NWS, said: “This is a first of a kind activity in the UK, and it’s fantastic to see the first train load of aggregate arrive by train onto our site.
“This work enables NWS to deliver a safe and secure long-term approach to protecting the environment and people for generations to come.
“Collaboration with Nuclear Transport Solutions’ rail division, Direct Rail Services (DRS), has played a pivotal role for us, with their launch of a new rail service for this project yielding significant environmental benefits.”
It’s first time DRS has used its JNA-Z box wagons, with each train making the journey from Shap quarry to the Repository to deliver over 750 tonnes of material – the equivalent of 36 HGVs.
Gottfried Eymer, NTS Rail Managing Director, said: “Rail is the obvious choice for bulk movements like these, taking many thousands of lorries off the road, reducing congestion, and improving the environment.”
This phase of the project will see 46,000 tonnes of aggregate delivered by 64 trains, saving an estimated 2,320 lorry journeys, that’s over 150,000 miles.
Last year, Civil Engineering firm GRAHAM was awarded a four-year contract for the works, which started in September.
Alastair Lewis, GRAHAM Contracts Director said: “It’s fantastic to see the start of rail deliveries to site, marking the beginning of an extensive program of works.
“We have been managing and carrying out aggregate train deliveries since 2018, and this experience has been invaluable in ensuring a smooth and efficient transition to this new phase of the project.”
NWS has been engaging with the local community with drop-in sessions and site tours to share more details about the work. Plans are in place to mitigate and minimise any associated noise, dust, traffic, ecological and visual impacts through the installation of noise barriers, visual screening bunds and regular noise monitoring of activities.
NWS and NTS are both part of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority group. This is an example of how the NDA group model is facilitating collaboration across operating companies to manage the UK nuclear legacy safely, securely and sustainably.
Wood Recyclers’ Association | WRA calls for urgent clarity over future support for waste wood biomass
Richard Coulson, Chair of the WRA.
The Wood Recyclers’ Association has called for urgent clarity over future support for waste wood-powered biomass plants after the government acknowledged the important role that the technology has to play.
In a written statement published yesterday, Energy Minister Michael Shanks announced support for large-scale biomass plants, including Drax, to transition to carbon capture and storage technology – but excluded smaller-scale biomass plants, such as those fuelled by waste wood.
Richard Coulson, chair of the WRA, said: “Yesterday’s statement by the Energy Minister acknowledges the important role biomass has to play in our energy system both now and in the future.
“Unfortunately, the statement provides no clarity on when similar transitional support arrangements will be offered to biomass generators below the 100MW threshold.
“The UK has a fleet of regional biomass generators with the capacity to compliantly manage 3 million tonnes of our wood waste a year which might otherwise be exported or sent to landfill.
“When combined with the additional volume of other domestic residues which they recover such as poultry litter, then we realise a recovery capacity of 4.6 million tonnes of our own domestic waste. This resource is then recovered to produce 5.4TWh of secure, low carbon energy, sufficient for 1.5 million homes.
“The statement acknowledges that biomass generation helps ensure low carbon security of supply in an affordable manner. It also says that sustainability standards will be strengthened to help build confidence in the sector. The WRA welcomes this approach, as while our members do not have such sustainability concerns from only using our domestic residues as a fuel, for too long our sector has been tarnished with the same concerns and debate.
“Like large scale biomass generation, WRA biomass members provide low carbon energy security for the UK while also delivering in terms of sustainability and providing an essential environmental service. In handling millions of tonnes of residues each year, we also deliver greater value for money.
“It’s critical now that small scale biomass generators are supported with transitional support as they fall out of the RO from 2027.
“With this support, our members can transition to BECCS capturing around 4 million tonnes of carbon per year – equivalent to 17% of the government’s 2035 emissions reduction target.”
Advetec | JWitt gets green light from environment agency to help decarbonise region’s businesses
Radstock-based JWitt Waste Recycling has received its permit from the Environment Agency and has officially begun helping businesses across Bath, Bristol, Somerset and Mendip to reduce their carbon footprint by turning their non-recyclable waste into fuel.
The waste handler is working with biotechnology business Advetec to convert more than 3,600 tonnes of waste into Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) each year. SRF is a real alternative to fossil fuels, replacing carbon-emitting coal in energy-heavy industries, amongst others.
Processing has started on-site and will see JWitt offering carbon reductions to over 1,000 customers, including retailers, restaurants, industrial estates, veterinary practices, holiday lets, and offices.
JWitt will achieve its goal with the help of the XO22, Advetec’s aerobic biodigester, which can process up to 10 tonnes of unrecyclable waste on-site daily. Advetec’s technology halves the mass of waste and diverts 100% from landfill or low-level incineration. The machine cuts associated greenhouse gas emissions by over 60% and aids the transition towards greater material segregation and extraction.
For every truckload of unrecyclable waste that goes through the machine, 6 tonnes of CO2 – the equivalent weight to an African elephant – are saved as the process digests the organic fraction of the waste using unique blends of bacteria. The reduction scheme has been verified by the Carbon Credit Standards Authority and the floc that’s left will be used as a coal replacement product – each tonne of floc used as SRF will replace 0.5 tonnes of carbon-emitting coal.
Jamie Witt, director at JWitt Waste Recycling, said: “We’re thrilled to go live with Advetec’s technology. It’s transformational for our business, our customers and the region – especially when you consider that processing this waste stream on-site will save almost 500 road miles each week, further reducing our companies CO2 output, as we can divert material previously sent to incineration plant in Avonmouth.
“Advetec is enabling independent waste handlers like us to innovate by offering easy access to alternative fuel offtake markets for the first time. These markets have traditionally been hard to access as smaller waste handlers often lack the volume or consistency of waste or the budget to fund the testing and infrastructure required by off-takers. It’s a game changer.”
Until now, JWitt, like most waste handlers has had to regularly transport waste across the region, which is costly and time intensive. The new on-site solution will help reduce road-related carbon emissions and congestion, further enabling JWitt to not only meet their green goals as a company, but surpass them.
Lee Knott, Advetec’s CEO, said: “As the first waste handler to establish a dedicated food waste collection service in Bath, it’s clear that JWitt has always been committed to actively reducing waste, and our technology will allow them to take their efforts to the next level.
“Now the permit is in place, they’ll turn local waste into a commodity that benefits the circular economy and helps customers accelerate their journey to Net Zero. Biotechnology is a local solution with a real-world impact, helping UK waste handlers become green pioneers in their local communities. We’re proud to give JWitt greater control over cost and carbon and build greater waste-handling capacity into their operations.”
Vision Techniques | Vision Techniques named as finalists in the Red Rose Awards 2025
Commercial Vehicle Safety and Security specialists, Vision Techniques, have been named as a finalist in the Red Rose Awards 2025.
With the awards ceremony, run by Lancashire Business View, just two weeks away on Thursday March 13, the team at Vision Techniques are celebrating their success on becoming a finalist in the Medium Business Awards category.
Managing Director Dave Smith, Finance Director Sarah Wood and Marketing Manager Chloe Wilson visited Burnley Football Club earlier this month to give a presentation in front of a judging panel sharing insights into their company which spans more than three decades.
They are now hoping they are a winner but already feel like they have won just by making it to the final.
Sarah shared what it would mean to the team if they won the award.
She said: “Winning an award would be amazing for Vision Techniques but we also feel like a winner just by making it to the final.
“By winning the award it would help to attract new customers which will then contribute to road safety and fewer fatalities.
“We have evolved into one of the UK’s largest vehicle safety equipment providers, supplying to a wide range of industries including construction, waste management, blue light and more.
“It would be amazing to win because after taking a massive step and investing into Vision Techniques undergoing a management buyout, we are securing employee jobs, continuing to grow and not only bringing sales in each month but achieving a record sales month of over £1m last year.”
The awards ceremony will be taking place at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
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.
Greyparrot | Experts from Suez, IPL and Cheshire West share plans to navigate rising costs and regulatory changes on Greyparrot panel
With the UK waste sector facing strong headwinds, AI waste analytics developer Greyparrot brought together industry experts from Suez, IPL Brightgreen and Cheshire West Recycling to discuss strategies for navigating a challenging 2025.
The panel featured Jonathan Caesar (Suez UK), Jody Sherratt (Cheshire West Recycling), and Jonathan Attwood (IPL Brightgreen), who shared their thoughts on the most pressing obstacles that recovery facilities will face in 2025.
In an hour-long discussion, the speakers outlined their strategies for maintaining healthy margins, guided by lean manufacturing processes and automation.
The challenges recycling leaders are targeting in 2025
From evolving regulation to labour shortages, rising energy costs and changing material composition, the UK’s recovery facilities are contending with a huge range of challenges in 2025.
To understand how different waste organisations prioritise these hurdles, Greyparrot’s Matthew Steventon asked each panellist to identify the most pressing challenge for their business. The variety of answers highlighted how organisations of different sizes are laying out their priorities for 2025:
Jonathan Caesar, a Senior Technical Plant Engineer at Suez UK, pointed to a combination of changing waste streams and delayed regulation as the obstacles he is planning around:
“One of the biggest challenges is changing waste composition, driven by collection and packaging reforms. Extended producer responsibility (EPR), Simpler Recycling, and the deposit return scheme (DRS) will significantly alter waste stream composition. Additionally, policy uncertainty has led to a lack of investment.”
Jonathan Attwood, Head of Technical and Quality at IPL Brightgreen, offered the perspective of a leading plastic sorter and reprocessor. For Attwood, growing compliance-related costs are the biggest influence on strategy in 2025:
“Over the past few years, we’ve seen growing sampling requirements… Staff costs and training are also increasing.
There are positive policies in place to reduce contamination and improve recovery rates, but the industry remains in limbo.”
For Cheshire West Recycling — a local authority trading company handling both collections and sorting — maintaining productivity while keeping costs in control is a key issue. Operations Director Jody Sherratt also cited contaminated waste streams:
“The biggest issue for me is supply quality. The control over feedstock is limited, and councils are often hesitant to engage citizens.
This results in mixed material piles where the origin is unclear — it’s like searching for a needle in a haystack.”
Despite the daunting outlook for waste organisations in 2025, advancements in recycling technology and lean facility management are helping businesses adapt to these evolving challenges.
Automation is becoming a “survival tool” for the waste sector
Following their discussion of the risks ahead, each panellist outlined their growth strategies for 2025.
Some have found inspiration in the lean manufacturing processes of the automotive industry, and plan to balance productivity and product quality in a similar way. Automation emerged as a common solution for finding that balance while protecting margins, especially as the cost of compliance sampling increases with stricter regulation.
With waste composition set to evolve as a result of EPR, DRS and Simpler Recycling, recovery facilities will need to adapt their sorting processes to recover maximum value from the resources that remain in their feedstock.
Caesar, Attwood and Sherratt now rely on AI waste analytics to help them maximise efficiency — but they have deployed the technology in distinct ways that meet their specific operational needs. All three shared their strategies for applying AI-generated insights throughout the webinar.
Greyparrot has made a recording of the webinar available for free, writing that it will help facilities shape their own “waste roadmaps” to thrive in a challenging year for the UK waste sector. Watch the panel on-demand here.
WasteRecruit | Introducing a new blueprint to close the green skills gap
Finding the skills needed to accelerate sustainable business.
If the UK hopes to fill its sustainability ambitions, there’s a big gap to fill. A report by PWC suggests that the shortfall is as much as 200 000 in terms of the skills needed for a clean energy transition.
Add to that the need to decarbonise the construction industry and improve infrastructure resilience, and the gap gets even bigger. We haven’t even started talking about resource management yet. A sector that is rapidly evolving and growing in importance.
It’s this last sector that we can learn from. The industry is almost unrecognisable from what it used to be two decades ago. Back then waste management was about disposal. Now it’s about reuse, recycling, remediation, and reducing waste as much as possible, as quickly as possible. It’s an industry innovating and creating new solutions to manage materials.
With this in mind, taking a traditional approach to try close the green skills gap, seems redundant. Sifting through CV’s, looking for green skills won’t deliver. Investing in apprenticeships and providing training may be effective in a decade or two, but we need green skills now. The industry is growing rapidly, and it needs to in order to meet net zero ambitions and sustainability goals.
If we hope to close the green skills gap much faster, it requires us to do things differently. There’s a new blueprint that is proving to be both efficient and effective. Instead of focusing on the size of the gap and debating on the best way to close it, we can focus on skills. Set aside the CV, it’s not needed. Instead test for skills specific to a role and company.
The new blueprint in action
Many of the new facilities being built for waste material management are bespoke. They’re customised to process materials to maximise outputs and serve specific local area needs. The roles required in these facilities are unique, requiring an ability to do more than merely operate in a facility. Especially with the advanced technologies and processes involved.
The skills needed can’t be found on a CV. But that doesn’t mean that they don’t exist. A blueprint for success can be built by applying the same bespoke approach to recruitment as to the building of the facility with skills as the core focus.
It starts with having in-depth discussions with key stakeholders to understand what the deliverables are for each role. Specifically key behaviours vital to a role as well as credentials. This is then used to develop a SJT (Situational Judgement Test) which is used to assess whether candidates have the right skills, regardless of their background or previous experience.
The SJT uses real world examples to assesses candidate’s approach to specific situations, including how they make decisions and solve problems. This new blueprint for recruitment of green skills is a game changer because it enables candidates with little to no experience in the sector to be assessed on their capabilities.
It is a way to rapidly grow the availability of green skills for commerce and industry because it eliminates bias based on a CV. The process is purely skills based and clearly identifies the best candidates for the role based on assessment scores.
Evidence that the blueprint works:
WasteRecruit, a CIWM Commercial Partner has been pioneering the skills-based assessment approach to recruitment and leading the way in developing green skills for the resource and renewable sectors.
“WasteRecruit’s process not only allowed us to find a great candidate but also ensured that they were well-prepared and had a clear understanding of the role, increasing the likelihood of a suitable match for the post”. – Sarah Troman, Head of Neighbourhood Services, Mansfield District Council
“Working with WasteRecruit brought a fresh approach to candidate searching that enabled us to pinpoint a great fit for our Environmental Compliance Manager position. From initial introductions and job discussions to interviews and the offer stage, the WasteRecruit team was fully engaged, providing valuable support and advice. We received an extensive selection of relevant candidates to consider, and the assessment process streamlined our decision-making with evidence-based insights.” – Lee Thompson, Group Business Development Director
This blueprint for skills-based assessments is 100% bespoke and customisable. Results in 100% retention and 100% positive feedback. Consider the acceleration possible in closing the green skills gap when these are the results that can be achieved.
The Climate Change Committee has recommended the UK Goverment implement policies to ensure the near elimination of all waste being sent to landfill by 2045.
By law the UK must reach net zero, which means the country is no longer adding to the total amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, by 2050.
The Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) seventh carbon budget sets out a limit on the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions over the five years between 2038 to 2042 to achieve this target.
To achieve this target, the CCC says there must be a near elimination of biodegradable waste sent to landfill from 2028 and all types of waste from 2045.
The CCC also recommends that carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies are installed at all Energy-from-Waste (EfW) plants by 2045, which it estimates will capture 90–95% of emissions produced through incineration.
What are carbon budgets?
The UK’s Climate Change Act (2008) requires the government to propose regular, legally-binding milestones on the pathway to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions.
These milestones are known as carbon budgets and set limits on the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions over five years. The CCC is required to advise the UK Government on the level of these budgets.
The CCC is an independent, statutory body established under the Climate Change Act. The Committee advises the UK and devolved governments on emissions targets and reports to Parliament what progress has been made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
What is the seventh carbon budget?
The CCC recommends the level for the seventh carbon budget, a limit on the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions over the five-year period 2038 to 2042, should be 535 MtCO2e.
Electrification and low-carbon electricity supply make up the largest share of emissions reductions in the CCC’s pathway to achieving the target, 60% by 2040.
The CCC estimate that the net costs of net zero will be around 0.2% of UK GDP per year on average if the government follows its pathway, with investment upfront leading to net savings during the five-year period.
What does the budget say about the resource & waste sector?
The largest share of emissions reduction in the CCC’s pathway for waste is achieved by reducing waste sent to landfill and EfW.
It says this can be accomplished by resource efficiency, increased recycling rates, and a reduction in food waste.
According to the pathway, resource efficiency improvements lead to a 5% decrease in total non-food related waste by 2040.
While improving resource efficiency in the construction, vehicles, and textile manufacturing sectors has largest impact on waste generation.
How can the sector contribute to net zero?
Stagnant recycling rates and an increase in emissions from waste incineration mean has stalled progress towards decarbonising the resource and waste sector, the CCC says.
The CCC says reducing emissions produced by waste will depend on a combination of government policy and action from households and businesses.
The key actions it recommendations include improving waste collections to ensure better consistency across the country.
Amongst the other recommendations are that the UK Government should prevent EfW capacity expansion unless a viable route to connecting CCS can be established.
The CCC has also called for funding and policy certainty for local authorities, saying it is key to decarbonising the waste sector.
Decarbonising waste an “uphill battle”: Industry reactions
Head of Climate and Energy Policy at the ESA, Charlotte Rule, said “without dramatic improvements to recycling performance and residual waste reduction, any other measures we take to reduce emissions associated with waste will be fighting an uphill battle”.
Rule continued that “the emerging policy landscape is some way off creating investable conditions in residual waste decarbonisation and government must ensure that the Emissions Trading Scheme drives the correct behaviour through pragmatic mechanisms that ensure the carbon content of waste is fairly allocated to producers to deliver a clear signal to decarbonise”.
Pre-loved or repaired goods represent two of the lowest carbon choices available to consumers…
Following the Budget’s publication, SUEZ CEO John Scanlon asked that more prominence be given to re-use and repair.
“Pre-loved or repaired goods represent two of the lowest carbon choices available to consumers and are growing in popularity,” Scanlon said.
“Embedding reuse and repair clearly into the budget’s framework, with real targets and incentives, will drive the circular economy necessary to reaching net zero goals.
“The UK has largely made the transition away from landfill and we will ensure that CCS reduces the impact of dealing with our customers’ residual waste. But we need to improve resource efficiency and that is not possible without a clear re-use and repair ethos.”
Fly-tipping incidents increased by 6% for the 2023-24 year, rising to 1.15 million from the 1.08 million reported in 2022-23.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has released statistics on fly-tipping incidents recorded by Local Authorities in England between April 2023 to March 2024.
According to the statistics, 688,000 fly-tipping incidents involved household waste in 2023-24, a 5% increase on reported incidents in 2022-23.
The most common place for fly-tipping to occur was on highways, which includes pavements and roads, accounting for 37% of total incidents in 2023/24.
However, the number of highway incidents in 2023-24 decreased by 1% to 427,000 from 433,000 in 2022-23.
The most common place for fly-tipping to occur was on highways.
The most common size category for fly-tipping incidents in 2023/24 was equivalent to a “small van load” (31% of total incidents), followed by the equivalent of a “car boot or less” (28%).
In 2023/24, 47,000 or around 4% of total incidents were of a “tipper lorry load” size or larger, which is an increase of 11% from 42,000 in 2022/23.
For these large fly-tipping incidents, the cost of clearance to local authorities in England in 2023/24 was £13.1 million.
Local authorities carried out 528,000 enforcement actions in 2023/24, which was a slight decrease from the 530,000 in 2022/23.
The number of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued was 63,000 in 2023/24, a decrease of 5% from 67,000 in 2022/23. FPNs were the second most common action after investigations and accounted for 12% of all actions in 2023/24.
The total number of court fines decreased by 8% from 1,491 in 2022/23 to 1,378 in 2023/24, with the combined value of these fines decreasing by 7% from £785,000 to £730,000.
Defra reminded local authorities to not report FPNs issued solely for littering, which it said may have contributed to the reduction in the total number of FPNs reported by some local authorities.
The data is based on incidents and actions reported by local authorities through WasteDataFlow.
Defra urged caution when interpreting year-on-year changes due to high numbers of incidents being reported as “other unidentified” for land type and waste type in 2023/24.
Fly-tipping statistics are a “tragedy”
Dan Cooke, the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management’s (CIWM) Director of Policy, Communications and External Affairs.
Reacting to the statistics, Dan Cooke, Director of Policy, Communications and External Affairs at CIWM, said: “Each and every one of these incidents causes misery to local communities and directly damages local environments and economies.
“Fly-tipping is waste crime. We applaud those local authorities and their partners taking concerted action.
“Effective enforcement needs greater resourcing, including for improved information and awareness, and a coordinated effort by relevant agencies to reduce and minimise the risk of further escalation.
“CIWM will continue to work with partners to provide training and share best practice in driving towards maintaining high standards and responsible waste management, and to highlight how we can all play a part by being vigilant against the scourge of the fly-tippers and the environmental, social and economic damage they cause.”
Cllr Adam Hug, environment spokesperson for the Local Government Association, called fly-tipping “inexcusable”.
“It (fly-tipping) is not only an eyesore for residents, but a serious public health risk, creating pollution and attracting rats and other vermin,” Hug said. “Councils are working tirelessly to counter the thousands of incidents every year and are determined to crack down on the problem.
“However, penalties handed down from prosecution fail to match the severity of the offence committed. We continue to urge the government to review sentencing guidelines for fly-tipping so that offenders are given bigger fines for more serious offences to act as a deterrent.
“Manufacturers should also contribute to the costs to councils of clear up, by providing more take-back services so people can hand in sofas, old furniture and mattresses when they buy new ones.”
Each and every one of these incidents causes misery to local communities and directly damages local environments and economies.
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive of environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, called the statistics a “tragedy” and said the 6% increase in incidents is “frightening and shameful”.
She said: “Fly-tipping is costing each and every one of us; the increasing sums needed to clean up the mess that’s wrecking both the environment and communities where it significantly contributes to people feeling ‘left behind’.
“We must tackle the crisis in our broken waste system with national product take-back schemes, a complete reform of the waste carrier license scheme and much tougher sanctions on those criminals who are coming to people’s doors, profiting from ignorance and dumping waste wherever they fancy.”
David Gudgeon, Head of External Affairs at Reconomy Connect, a brand by Reconomy, the international circular economy specialist, called the data “staggering” and said it underlines the “severe economic harm” of fly-tipping.
“The fact that household waste accounts for so much of this clearly demonstrates the need for greater public education on how and where people can safely dispose of waste and the importance of doing so,” Gudgeon said.
“There also needs to be a greater focus on fines and enforcement action to create better deterrents and a change in societal thinking to acknowledge the negative impact fly-tipping has on all of us.”
The University of Leicester says its scientists have developed a new technique for recycling lithium-ion batteries using vegetable oil.
The patent-pending technology extracts battery-grade metal oxides from crushed batteries using water and vegetable oil.
The University said the technique purifies lithium-ion battery black mass, a low-value mixture of anode, cathode, and other materials, directly within minutes at room temperature.
The research was led by Professor Andy Abbott and Dr Jake Yang at the University of Leicester, working under the Faraday Institution’s ReLiB project.
Dr Jake Yang from the University of Leicester School of Chemistry commented: “This quick, simple and inexpensive method could revolutionise how batteries are recycled at scale.
“We now hope to work with a variety of stakeholders to scale up this technology and create a circular economy for lithium-ion batteries.”
This quick, simple and inexpensive method could revolutionise how batteries are recycled at scale.
Current recycling techniques use a combination of furnace heat treatment to burn off graphite, which produces carbon emissions across the electric vehicle value chain.
Most people know oil and water do not mix unless you add soap, however, the research has shown that ultrasound can create nano-droplets of oil that are stable for weeks.
The new process developed by the University of Leicester uses these oil nano-droplets to purify battery waste, commonly known as “black mass”, as it contains a mixture of carbon (graphite) and valuable lithium, nickel and cobalt metal oxides (NMC).
The oil nano-droplets stick to the surface of the carbon and act as a “glue” to bind hydrophobic graphite particles together to form large oil-graphite conglomerates.
These particles float on water, leaving the valuable, hydrophilic lithium metal oxides untouched. The University said the oil-graphite conglomerate can then be skimmed off to leave pure metal oxides.
Mass-produced plastic has changed the world for better or worse, Jessica Bradley explores how plastic has reshaped the Earth and what the global landscape currently looks like.
In some ways, plastic has been a modern miracle – it’s durable, lightweight, strong, and low-cost, to name a few of its attributes.
It’s no wonder then that since we started mass-producing plastic in the 1950s, society has gradually become reliant on the material and is now overwhelmed by it.
It’s in the clothes we wear, the packaging in our homes, the transport we rely on, and an overwhelming number of the everyday products we use and enjoy.
Global plastics production and consumption has doubled over the past two decades – and it’s expected to triple by 2060 – but the consequences of our insatiable appetite for plastic are having many devastating consequences.
Less than 10% of all the plastic that’s ever been made has been recycled – partly, because a lot of plastics are difficult to recycle, and also because some countries have poor or no waste management.
“Greenhouse gases are released at every stage of the plastic life cycle, from extraction to production, trade, use, recycling and end-of-life phases,” says Lynn Sorrentino, programme officer, plastics at IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).
The global impact of plastic waste
Most plastics don’t degrade; they fragment into microplastics and nanoplastics, which are having detrimental effects on human, animal and planetary health.
“Plastic pollution is pervasive – it’s everywhere on earth, from the Arctic to soil and the air we breathe,” says Elena Buzzi, environmental policy analyst on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) circular economy team.
Exposure to plastic pollution, including micro-and nano-plastics, severely impacts biodiversity and the health and resilience of all ecosystems.
“Plastic pollution significantly reduces ecosystem resilience to climate change and the ability to benefit from disaster risk reduction, as well as amplifying all aspects of the triple planetary crisis,” says Lynn Sorrentino, programme officer, plastics at IUCN – referring to climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
Communities in the Global South and small island developing sits (SIDS), she says, are disproportionately impacted by the effects of plastic pollution. This is part of the huge economic cost of plastic pollution.
Studies suggest that the cost to global marine ecosystems is more than €11 billion. In Europe alone, removing plastic waste from beaches and coasts is estimated to cost around €630 million every year.
Plastic pollution also presents risks to human health. Microplastics can make their way into food and through the human body and have even been found in the human placenta and breastmilk.
One analysis of studies found suspected human health risks from microplastic exposure in three body systems: digestive, reproductive, and respiratory.
“The smaller particles [of microplastics] mean there’s a higher likelihood they can interfere with biological functions,” says Buzzi.
The effects on the environment are also caused by events further up the lifecycle of plastics. Buzzi says processes and extracting the resources needed to produce plastic also use fossil fuels.
She says: “Plastic has a range of impacts all along the life cycle, and degrades throughout its use, production and recycling phase, so it releases microplastics that also contribute to pollution levels.”
Research is ongoing, Buzzi says, but there isn’t yet peer-reviewed evidence regarding the exact levels of plastic pollution exposure that pose risks to human health.
However, scientists recommend that action is taken to slow down our exposure to prevent long-term effects.
Microplastics aren’t the only risk associated with plastics. Phthalates – chemicals that are added to plastics – have been linked to a higher risk of preterm birth, and scientists warn that exposure can affect the immune and reproductive systems.
This means ending plastic pollution will require huge innovations and improvements in waste management systems to improve the capacity to process plastic waste, many experts say.
The initial important step is being able to consistently and effectively differentiate between plastic waste and scrap plastic for secondary production, to ensure that plastic waste doesn’t end up sitting in dump sites or floating in oceans and rivers, says Rob Delink, senior economist at the OECD.
“The first major thing we need to do is tease out more clearly the composition of waste, and to what extent we can recover plastics or energy,” he says.
In recent years, technologies have been emerging to help tackle plastic pollution at the source, including systems to collect and remove plastic waste from oceans and rivers, using methods such as passive drift systems and autonomous surface vessels, to trap and collect plastic debris.
Additionally, there has been a growing focus on technologies that can plastic waste. Many technologies are emerging to help prevent plastic waste, such as Ecobricks which allows people to repurpose plastic waste into building blocks and plastic roads, which incorporate recycled plastic waste into the asphalt mix.
Internal cooperation is also central to improving waste management because the capacity to handle plastic waste differs widely between countries, Delink says.
Making sure that less waste needs collecting, and investing in recycling more waste and improving sorting practices, is the best approach environmentally, he says.
If we don’t close the tap of producing more plastics, waste management systems might be overstretched.
However, Delink adds, we won’t be able to end plastic pollution if we only look at the end product.
“In Dutch, we have a saying: mopping with the tap open,” he says. “If we don’t close the tap of producing more plastics, waste management systems might be overstretched.”
For example, not all biodegradable plastics can be composted in the same way, which can present financial restrictions for some recycling plants. In addition, these materials only degrade in specific conditions which means they can be just as polluting to marine life.
The higher costs of some plastic alternatives can be prohibitive for consumers – but Deling points out, that this is largely because plastics are artificially cheap by ignoring impacts on the environment.
However, developing alternatives to plastic, and knowing how to nudge consumers’ behaviour, will require more clarity around alternatives to plastic, experts argue.
It isn’t as simple as swapping plastic for alternatives, says Deling, because the environmental impact of substitutes isn’t always zero.
“What’s missing is the decision about what impacts we’re talking about, and the lifecycle impact of alternatives, such as glass,” he says.
“Glass is good for reuse, but if you only reuse it once (and) then discard it, the impact is even higher. We need to understand the full lifecycle of substitutes for plastic.
“We do need alternatives, but we need to be careful we don’t substitute something bad with something worse.”
Buzzi emphasises that it isn’t enough to just switch from single-use plastics to alternatives.
“We need to move to new systems to ensure whatever materials we’re using will be reused multiple times,” she says.
“When we look at waste and what use we can make of it – recycling or energy recovery – a lot will depend on how it’s been designed and what materials it contains.”
It’s important, she adds, to support innovation into producing plastics that are easier to manage and less harmful to the environment, and enable some of the solutions we want to see later on in the lifecycle.
“We’ve had 50, 60 years of plastic, and countless types of plastic and chemicals have additives in them,” she says.
Will we ever see an end to plastic pollution?
The production of plastic has grown exponentially since the 1950s, and in recent years, governments around the world have made efforts to curb plastic pollution. But there’s a growing recognition of the importance of international cohesion in this regard.
And while there’s more and more innovation allowing plastic to be repurposed, experts say there is a long way to go until there is something resembling a circular economy for plastics in place internationally.
Reducing the amount and impact of plastic pollution requires significant action across the lifecycle of plastic, including manufacturers, retailers and consumers. But while there is a long way to go, some experts are optimistic that we could have a future without plastic pollution.
Bucher Municipal is pleased to announce the acquisition of a significant piece of land from Mole Valley District Council in Dorking, Surrey, UK.
The UK’s Climate Change Act (2008) requires the government to propose regular, legally-binding milestones on the pathway to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions.
Head of Climate and Energy Policy at the ESA, Charlotte Rule, said “without dramatic improvements to recycling performance and residual waste reduction, any other measures we take to reduce emissions associated with waste will be fighting an uphill battle”.
Most plastics don’t degrade; they fragment into microplastics and nanoplastics, which are having detrimental effects on human, animal and planetary health.