Environment

Reusable cups save venues thousands of pounds, research finds

Venues and festivals have saved thousands of pounds and hugely reduced their plastic waste by switching to a reusable cup system, according to research. Research carried out by international environmental consultancy Eunomiafound that venues in Bristol that replaced single-use plastic cups with reusable alternatives using a deposit return system (DRS) have made significant financial savings,

Government’s “plastic tax” could cost households 7p per week

The Government’s proposal to establish a tax on plastic packaging could cost households 7p per week, according to new research. The estimate assumes the tax cost is transferred to households by packaging producers and retailers. It also considers projected levels of recycled content in packaging. The cost has been derived from research undertaken by Imperial

MPs call for net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050

The UK will end its contribution to global warming within 30 years if it sets a new target to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050, says the Committee on Climate Change (CCC). Achieving a ‘net-zero’ target by the middle of the century is in line with the UK’s commitment under the Paris

WRAP and OPRL launch new recycling partnership

WRAP and OPRL (On-Pack Recycling Label) have announced a new partnership to reach the UK’s recycling targets. At least 70% of the UK’s packaging must be recycled by 2030, according to targets set out by the Circular Economy Package. The partnership will focus on providing consistent messaging on-pack to reduce confusion and improving the quality

MPs call for ban on plastic exports to prevent pollution

Cross-party MPs have backed an early day motion calling for a complete ban on plastic waste exports to the developing world. This follows warnings from the National Audit Office (NA) that millions of tonnes of plastic waste exported by the UK to developing nations ends up in landfill or as ocean litter. Liberal Democrat Tom