Demand, Packaging, Plastics and Waste

Growth in UK plastic packaging recycling being shipped abroad, including to non-OECD countries

Envirotec Magazine

JANUARY 24, 2024

By Tom McBeth, Policy & Infrastructure Manager with plastics resource efficiency group RECOUP New data reveals an increase in the amount of plastic exported for recycling in 2023, and significant quantities are now going to developing, non-OECD* countries. Indonesia took a further 3.4%, and Taiwan 2.5%.

Recycling

Joint venture aims to create Norway’s first dedicated sorting plant to enable plastic packaging circularity

Envirotec Magazine

JUNE 6, 2023

Technology and recycling equipment firm TOMRA has signed a majority ownership agreement with Plastretur, the Norwegian Producer Responsibility Organisation for recycling plastic packaging. The companies will pair up to create a plastic packaging sorting plant located in Norway. Amland, SVP TOMRA Feedstock.

Packaging

The Wild West of plastic credits and offsets

GreenBiz

FEBRUARY 8, 2021

The Wild West of plastic credits and offsets. There’s a new kid on the block of sustainability claims being made by businesses: "plastic neutrality." Thanks to the rise in plastics pledges, an emerging and undefined market for plastic offsets is just beginning to take shape. Lauren Phipps. Mon, 02/08/2021 - 01:30.

Plastics

Plastics Carbon-neutral Carbon-negative Waste

Are businesses ready for the plastic packaging tax?

Envirotec Magazine

AUGUST 18, 2021

With less than a year to go until the Plastic Packaging Tax is introduced in the UK, a study by Veolia appears to show that 83% of businesses asked were NOT aware of the tax. The Plastic Packaging Tax is Government policy aiming to directly increase plastic recycling in the UK and cut carbon emissions.

Packaging

Long-awaited reforms clarify waste collection in England

Envirotec Magazine

OCTOBER 24, 2023

The Simpler Recycling initiative brings clarity on what kinds of waste will be collected and how often (image credit: Peter_Fleming / Shutterstock.com). The Simpler Recycling initiative – previously known as Consistent Collection – was generally welcomed by waste and environmental observers.

Waste

Waste Waste Recycling Recycling

£6.1 million to help recycle plastic waste into construction products

Envirotec Magazine

OCTOBER 22, 2021

million, including the help of PRN funding, the UK’s largest producer of damp-proof membranes is increasing its capacity for recycling ethylene-based plastics by 66 per cent. Mercers, which is based in Bolton, transforms plastic packaging waste into 100 per cent recycled damp-proof membrane. Thanks to an injection of £6.1

Recycling

Recycling Recycling Plastics Waste

How to Reduce Your Business Waste In 2021: Top Tips

The Environmental Blog

MARCH 12, 2021

If you want to make your business more sustainable in 2021 and bounce back from the current economic crisis, reducing your business waste is a great place to start. Even if you believe you already have an effective waste reduction strategy in place, taking a closer look will help you find ways to make additional improvement.

Waste

Waste Waste Recycling Recycling

Why the Oil and Chemical Lobby Is Taking Aim at New York’s Plastic Waste Bill

DeSmogBlog

MARCH 6, 2024

Last week at the New York State Capitol, more than 300 advocates joined lawmakers for a rally to urge the passage of a landmark waste reduction bill that proponents say is the best piece of legislation in the country aimed at lessening plastic trash. Thankfully they have not succeeded so far.”

Plastics

Plastics Waste Waste Recycling

State-of-the-art plant for post-consumer plastic waste sorting and advanced mechanical recycling opens in Germany

Envirotec Magazine

FEBRUARY 26, 2021

“Having just launched the new Circular Economy Division, it is clear what a large role waste management and pivotal projects like this have on moving towards a sustainable future. We are proud to have initiated one of the most advanced mechanical recycling plants when it comes to post-consumer polymer waste.

Recycling

Recycling Recycling Plastics Waste

Start-up provides digital platform for plastic recyclate trading

Envirotec Magazine

MAY 24, 2022

Hamburg-based start-up cirplus has entered into the UK market in a bid to digitalise the plastic and recycling industry. Coming into force on April 1st 2022, the tax increases costs for packaging companies who fail to use recycled materials by 20 to 40 percent. million tons of recycled plastics listed for sale.

Plastics

Does plastic have a future in packaging?

Business Green

AUGUST 3, 2021

The idea of only using sustainable packaging – eliminating waste, low carbon footprint, recyclable or compostable - seems easy enough, yet the reality for many businesses is more complex and dependent on the industry they work in. A lot of plastic is produced from fossil fuels. The plastic choice. Reducing waste.

Packaging

Packaging Plastics Medicine Recycling

HelloFresh would like to clear the air on meal kits

GreenBiz

MARCH 22, 2021

Since the world was introduced to the first meal kit over a decade ago, the industry has matured in size and familiarity, but it also has endured notable criticism surrounding packaging and its perceived impact on the environment. For meal kits, packaging waste was one of those unintended consequences.

Packaging

Packaging Waste Waste Retail

Consumer goods giants team up to signal demand for chemically recycled plastic

Business Green

OCTOBER 12, 2022

Chemically-recycled plastic could be in high demand by the end of this decade, major companies predict. In a letter published this morning, the firms said there was potential demand for at least 800,000 tonnes a year of chemically recycled plastic in Europe by 2030 from 40 firms alone.

Plastics

Plastics Recycling Recycling Demand

PET plastic recycler receives planning permission for first UK plant

Envirotec Magazine

APRIL 8, 2021

PET plastic bottles collected at a recycling plant. Specialist PET (polyethylene terephthalate) recycler Enviroo has had its planning application approved for its first plastic recycling facility in the UK. million tonnes of plastic waste created in the UK annually.

Plastics

Scaling the Market for Post-Consumer Recycled Content

GreenBiz

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

The demand for recycled plastics has skyrocketed — so much so that brands and packaging producers are experiencing limited supply. What will it take to scale the domestic market for post-consumer recycled content and meet this growing demand? Susan Robinson, Senior Public Affairs Director, Waste Management.

Recycling

Take a stand and address single-use items and throwaway culture rather than just plastics, urges Zero Waste Scotland

Envirotec Magazine

OCTOBER 8, 2019

Ian Gulland of Zero Waste Scotland. The Scottish Government-funded circular economy advisory group Zero Waste Scotland is warning that the current focus on plastics is distracting from the real issue of ending the disposable throwaway culture and urges Scots to take a stand against unwanted extra materials in their daily lives.

Plastics

Plastics Waste Waste Retail

Take a stand and address single-use items and throwaway culture rather than just plastics, urges Zero Waste Scotland

Envirotec Magazine

OCTOBER 8, 2019

Ian Gulland of Zero Waste Scotland. The Scottish Government-funded circular economy advisory group Zero Waste Scotland is warning that the current focus on plastics is distracting from the real issue of ending the disposable throwaway culture and urges Scots to take a stand against unwanted extra materials in their daily lives.

Plastics

Plastics Waste Waste Retail

PepsiCo Europe pledges to end use of virgin plastic for crisp packaging by 2030

Business Green

JANUARY 24, 2022

Company announces goal to ensure Walkers, Doritos, and Lay's crisps use recycled or renewable plastic packaging by end of the decade. PepsiCo Europe has today announced a new ambition to replace all virgin plastics used in its crisp and chip bags with 100 per cent recycled or renewable plastic by 2030.

Packaging

Packaging Plastics Europe Recycling

Reasons Why More Brands Are Moving Towards Sustainable Packaging

The Environmental Blog

JANUARY 7, 2021

Many people want to do their bit for the environment, and a lot of brands are getting on board with the idea too, especially in regard to the packaging they choose to use. Excessive packaging is a big contributor to environmental issues such as pollution, landfills, and carbon footprints, and a lot of it really is unnecessary.

Packaging

Packaging Sustainability Business Energy Monitoring Building Energy Monitoring

FMCG and retail firms join forces in a bid to stabilise the value of plastic recyclate in the UK

Envirotec Magazine

MAY 27, 2021

z International, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever announce plans to finance and launch £1m Flexible Plastic Fund. Fund designed to drive progress towards household collection of flexible plastic for recycling. The Fund will guarantee a minimum value of £100 per tonne of recycled product to incentivise recyclers to process flexible plastic.

Retail

Retail Plastics Recycling Recycling

Consortium shows new market potential for recyclates from flexible packaging

Envirotec Magazine

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

A new Quality Recycling Process (QRP) for flexible packaging, from CEFLEX (a consortium of European firms working on flexible packaging recycling) and its stakeholders, appears to demonstrate the viability of high value applications for recycled polymers from a mechanical recycling process. The extrusion step in the process.

Packaging

Packaging Recycling Recycling Plastics

'Net zero plastic': Corona toasts plastic recovery milestone

Business Green

JUNE 8, 2021

Beer brand said it now recovers more plastic from the environment than it produces, as Waitrose announces expansion of its refillable food range. The milestone comes after the firm commissioned climate solutions provider South Pole to run an extensive audit of the plastic usage of its products and distribution logistics processes.

Plastics

Plastics Packaging Pollution Recycling

Industry first claimed for “fully recyclable crisp packet”

Envirotec Magazine

APRIL 10, 2024

The new paper packet was developed in partnership with Evopak, a manufacturer of sustainable paper based flexible packaging. It uses an innovative polymer, Hydropol, instead of conventional plastic. Consumers can dispose of the new crisp packet in their normal kerbside recycling collection along with their other paper recyclable items.

Recycling

Plastics: Consumer goods giants agree industry principles for chemical-based recycling methods

Business Green

APRIL 13, 2022

A clutch of the world's largest consumer goods companies, including Mars, Nestle, Danone and Unilever, have united behind a set of principles for safe and environmentally responsible chemical recycling of plastic waste, arguing that such methods have a role to play in combatting the global plastics pollution crisis.

Plastics

Volm Companies: Material and Equipment Manufacturer Committed to Waste Reduction

Green Business Bureau

APRIL 14, 2023

Material and equipment manufacturer working to meet the demands of an environmentally conscious world Volm Companies and Yellowstone Plastics is a material and equipment manufacturer and supplier. Services include packing facility design and engineering, as well as inventory management. Below we detail how the business has done this.

Waste

Waste Waste Plastics Packaging

Government confirms extension of ban on single use plastics

Business Green

JANUARY 13, 2023

New ban on single-use plastic plates, trays, bowls, cutlery, balloon sticks, and some types of polystyrene cups and food containers to come into effect from October . billion items of single-use cutlery - most of which are plastic - and 721 million single-use plates per year, but only 10 per cent are recycled.

Plastics

Plastics Government Recycling Recycling

How will the economic downturn affect PRN prices?

Envirotec Magazine

SEPTEMBER 7, 2022

Joseph Doherty, Managing Director of waste management services firm Re-Gen Waste, believes that the PRN prices will be affected by the cost of living crisis. The graph below shows the amount of packaging placed on the UK market reported by registered packaging producers since the early days of the packaging waste regulation.

Recycling

Recycling Recycling Packaging Waste

Packaging with purpose

Business Green

NOVEMBER 2, 2022

Industry Voice: Dow's Angels Domenech explains how innovative plastic packaging and recycling processes can drive down food waste, plastic waste and emissions. Headlines have, until recently, focused on food waste rather than food shortages.

Packaging

'The world is moving on': Coca-Cola's Therese Noorlander on plastic, packaging, and youth activism

Business Green

OCTOBER 21, 2020

Having been crowned the most polluting brand in the world for two years running by the Break Free from Plastic campaign in its global audit of plastic waste, the firm also last year revealed it produces three million tonnes of plastic packaging a year, or the equivalent of 200,000 bottles a minute.

Packaging

Plastic recycling innovator Mura secures 'multi-million dollar' Dow investment

Business Green

OCTOBER 5, 2022

UK-based Mura Technology announces major backing from global chemicals giant to help it develop host of innovative US and European plastic recycling facilities. We are excited to move forward with the creation of a series of financeable HydroPRS plants in Europe and the US that will accelerate a circular plastics economy," he said.

Plastics

Plastics Recycling Recycling Innovation

Morrisons to axe plastic bags from stores nationwide

Business Green

APRIL 9, 2021

Morrisons has announced plans to become the first supermarket to completely remove plastic bags from its stores in a bid to curb the mountains of plastic waste dumped into landfill and strewn across natural habitats every day. million plastic bags a week. Over 60 countries have banned the bag," Sutherland said. "As

Plastics

Plastics Waste Waste Biodiversity

Beanz Meanz Recycling: Heinz and Tesco unite in soft plastic recycling trial

Business Green

JUNE 10, 2022

Project to create recyclable Heinz Beanz Snap Pots will help put 22 tonnes of plastic back into the circular economy. Fully recyclable Heinz Beanz Snap Pots will soon hit shelves as part of a pioneering trial by the food giant and supermarket Tesco designed to make it easier to process previously hard to recycling plastics.

Recycling

Plans unveiled for 'world's biggest' recycling facility in bid to meet soaring European demand

Business Green

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

Loop Industries and SUEZ reveal plans to build giant plastic recycling facility, as pressure grows for sector to boost capacity across Europe. A giant recycling plant capable of producing infinitely-recyclable, virgin-quality plastic is being planned to cater for soaring European demand for recycled materials, it has been announced.

Recycling

Recycling Recycling Demand Plastics

Flat-lining: Policy review highlights England's mixed progress on waste reduction

Business Green

AUGUST 5, 2020

The volume of waste produced in England has remained largely the same for the past five years, presenting fresh questions as to how government, businesses, and households can successfully curb waste levels. However, the picture is more encouraging once the findings are measured in the context of the growth of the economy.

Waste

Waste Waste Policy Building Energy Monitoring

How to Use Decor to Promote Sustainable Living

The Environmental Blog

JUNE 28, 2023

Embrace Vintage and Antique Furniture One of the more effective ways for you to reduce the amount of waste you produce and promote sustainability in home decor is by embracing vintage and antique furniture. By giving these items a second life, we reduce the demand for new production, thus saving energy and resources in the process.

Sustainability

Sustainability Plastics Carbon-neutral Biodegradable

Tesco launches trial to ditch 'unnecessary' cardboard packaging from toothpaste

Business Green

SEPTEMBER 27, 2022

Supermarket giant Tesco has announced it is launching a trial to address the issue of excess and unnecessary toothpaste packaging in the UK by selling tubes without cardboard boxes. We think that for customers the move makes sense, because the first thing they do when they buy toothpaste is throw the packaging box away.".

Packaging

Packaging Recycling Recycling Plastics

Ineos moves to ramp up recycled plastics offering

Business Green

SEPTEMBER 8, 2020

UK chemicals firm INEOS announces it has made progress incorporating recycled plastics into more challenging applications, as Coca-Cola launches two new recycled plastics commitments in Europe. Saica are experts in recycling post-consumer plastic film.

Plastics

Plastics Recycling Recycling Europe

Plastics Treaty talks may face familiar deadlock, but progress is still being made

Business Green

DECEMBER 5, 2022

First round of negotiations to deliver a new treaty to end plastic pollution was characterised by much the same dividing lines that marred recent climate talks. The mandate agreed by UN member states opens the door to a legally binding treaty that deals with the root causes of plastic pollution, not just the symptoms," she said. "The

Plastics

Plastics Waste Waste Pollution

Wagamama opts for recyclable ramen bowls in battle against waste

Business Green

AUGUST 16, 2022

Restaurant chain estimates new cPET food packaging will save 330 tonnes of plastic from its supply chain annually. The new packaging is to be made from recyclable material known as cPET, which Wagamama claims it is among the first major restaurant chains to use as a basis for its soup and noodle bowls.

Recycling

Recycling Recycling Waste Waste

Business must back a historic plastic treaty

Business Green

MARCH 2, 2022

The flow of plastic into the environment must be stopped before it’s too late, and a legally-binding global UN treaty backed by business is key to making this happen, writes Unilever's Richard Slater. Consumer goods companies - including Unilever - are big users of plastic. The problem is actually getting worse.

Plastics