What do we want? PLASTICS INFRASTRUCTURE. When do we want it? NOW. There was frustration in the air at last month’s UK Plastics Reprocessing conference.
WATCH: Creating an export passport for waste using commercialised Blockchain Last month, Prismm MD Mike Jackson discussed TRACA and creating an export passport for waste using Blockchain at the Smart Waste, Smart Resources conference.
Women's Recycling Alliance founder: 'If we have more females in senior positions, they’ll naturally attract more women into the industry' Sarah Sanpher-McDowell is development director at Clearpoint Recycling and founder of the Women’s Recycling Alliance (WRA).
Smart Waste, Smart Resources roundup: why we need data in the waste industry On a drizzly October morning, a group of waste management heavyweights could be found nursing early coffees at Birmingham’s Villa Park Conference Centre.
UK Plastics Reprocessing conference programme Developing domestic plastics reprocessing capacity is an essential part of the circular economy – join key members of the supply chain to find solutions and access the opportunities of the infrastructure challenge.
How chemical recycling could solve our plastics problem Momentum is growing for governments and industry to adopt sustainable practices and develop circular economies.
Will new EA regulations restrict growth and add bureaucracy to the hazardous waste sector? Regulatory change is on the horizon in the hazardous waste sector.
Celebrating 10 years of ADBA Last month the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) celebrated its 10th anniversary as the trade body for the UK’s anaerobic digestion industry.
Reuse is the right medicine for the NHS Cuts to NHS funding have been headline news for some time and, when frontline care is in the balance, making savings wherever possible takes priority.
Are you guilty of the UK's e-waste secret? It’s movie night at home. You throw a bag of popcorn in the microwave and start it up, but nothing happens.
RWM 2019 review: A little less conversation Anyone who has been in the waste industry for long enough will know the evolving nature of the RWM exhibition.
How can Scotland crack its consistency issue? Contamination in the recycling stream, or indeed the residual waste stream, is a perennial problem for those working at the sharp end of collection and processing.
The local impact of Energy from Waste Recovering energy from waste is increasingly important in the absence of other deliverable alternatives to landfill - as well, of course, as encouraging recycling and reducing waste production in the first place. 1 comment
What is computer vision and how can it help the waste industry? When it comes to computer vision, most people think of the technology that powers self-driving cars
Finding new recycled resources in the North Sea The potential decommissioning market for removal of around 95 platforms and their infrastructure is valued at nearly £17bn over the next 10 years and it could mirror the original North Sea boom for the UK economy.
Zero food waste to landfill is looking like an increasingly achievable goal Figures outlining the global food waste picture are bleak. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) approximately a third of all food produced in the world intended for human consumption is either lost or wasted.
Are efforts to create biodegradable plastic packaging missing the point about sustainability? Recently, I came across a video promoting Gone, an “eco-friendly” solution for runners and cyclists: an energy gel encased in plant-based bioplastics that will “biodegrade in a matter of days”. 1 comment
Why digitalisation lies at the heart of smart resource management Digitalisation is certainly the key to the future success of the waste management sector.
How the domestic HERU device could transform waste management The HERU (Home Energy Resources Unit) is the size of a washing machine and has been designed to turn waste materials into energy within the home.
Are we losing sight of the real sustainability goal in our quest to find convenient solutions? This year’s shelves have been stocked with bamboo straws, paper bags and compostable coffee cups.
How cities are transforming circular rhetoric into reality Around the world 740 jurisdictions spanning 16 countries have now declared a climate emergency. It’s a huge statement of intent but we have yet to see the introduction of robust policies to make the rhetoric a reality.
Leading the charge on recycling used electric vehicle batteries Electric vehicle (EV) sales are soaring. On 13 April 2019 The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reported that the number of plug-in electric cars grew by 76.6% in 2018, with 195,000 vehicles now on British roads.
The problem with PRNs Packaging waste recycling has faced a volatile year so far, with the release of the quarter two PRN analysis last month showcasing a brighter future for UK plastics reprocessing but a lot of work that needs to be done to get there.
RWM 2019 preview: what to expect RWW outlines what can be expected at this year’s RWM exhibition, and recommends the top things to see and do there.
The Recycling Event roundup While The Recycling Event covered many topical and complex issues, the key lesson running through them all was that there needs to be collaboration across the supply chain.