For every five textile items repaired, four displace a new purchase – an 82.2% displacement rate – according to research by WRAP. A new report from WRAP, produced in collaboration with resale and repair businesses and brands, shows the impact of a range of circular business models on stopping the purchase of new clothes. The report, Displacement Rates Untangled, calculates the extent to which the rise of repair and resale can displace new sales, and how much they help offset the environmental cost of clothing. Depop, eBay, Vestiaire Collective, The Seam, SOJO and brand Finisterre provided data for the report. The research found that repairing one cotton t-shirt instead of buying…

  CIWM Fellow Iain Gulland, Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland, explains what Critical Raw Materials are and the economic opportunity they present if businesses adopt circular economy principles. The linear, take, make, waste, economy that has prevailed for decades is no longer serving us. In fact, it’s working directly against our efforts to evolve a sustainable future in which people and the planet thrive. The circular economy is the best tool to help us fix it. But when it comes to critical raw materials, failure to act urgently and strategically could impact our ability to decarbonise and ultimately derail our vision for a sustainable and prosperous future. What are…

  Trewin Restorick, Founder of Sizzle Innovation, explains how his new sustainable venture is aiming to transform waste into wonderful, circular solutions for your garden.  There is a saying that where there is muck there is money, but is it true? The theory will be tested with the launch of Treasure Gardening a new social enterprise seeking to celebrate the wonders of waste by making high-quality horticulture products from waste and by-products. The launch of this new circular economy enterprise has certainly been circuitous. It started with an investigation by Sizzle Innovation, funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, that sought to understand why, despite many warm words and commitments, the…

  Following the official launch of PackUK, Zoe Brimelow, a Director at packaging manufacturer and consultancy Duo, looks at whether a national packaging plan is now needed to support packaging circularity. The recent Packaging Innovations and Empack trade show saw the public launch of the UK Government’s packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) scheme administrator, PackUK. A panel of representatives from the administrator’s steering group came together to outline the aims of the pEPR and highlight the importance of the scheme for driving change and investment in packaging and packaging waste. Part of the pEPR and PackUK’s remit involves stimulating an estimated £10 billion investment in recycling services and infrastructure over…

  The impact of UK reuse charities must be supported to help achieve the UK’s circular economy goals, according to a report released by Reuse Network. Reuse Network says it is attempting to clear the barriers currently prohibiting the reuse sector from operating at full potential and supporting the UK government’s circular economy goals. The charity argues that without policy reform and investment, the sector will struggle to continue delivering environmental and social benefits.  The Reuse Network’s Reuse Roadmap sets out five points that it is asking the UK Government to consider when developing its new Circular Economy Strategy. These include: –           breaking the link between waste and reuse by managing resources; –          …

  Northumbria University secures £250,000 in research funding to enhance sustainability in the construction industry through AI technologies. The project will develop “AI-driven decision-support systems” to help construction managers identify waste generation points, implement effective handling strategies, and assess project sustainability. Northumbria University said the systems will measure waste handling efficiency, resource utilisation, and adherence to sustainable practices. The £250,000 of research funding was secured in the latest Horizon MSCA call from the European Commission, The project, led by Dr Pablo Martinez Rodriguez from the Department of Architecture and Built Environment at Northumbria, aims to improve waste recycling efficiency, reduce landfill dependency, and promote circular economy principles across the globe.…

  Novelis Inc. says it has reduced CO2e emissions produced by the aluminium recycling furnace at its UK plant in Warrington by up to 90% by replacing natural gas with hydrogen fuel. The recent trial found using hydrogen instead of the same amount of natural gas when operating a melting furnace can reduce CO2e emissions by up to 90%. The aluminium recycler Novelis Inc. installed new burners, regenerators, and furnace lining material as part of the tests at its plant in Latchford, Warrington, which are part of a UK government decarbonisation programme. The demonstration project at Novelis Latchford is part of the UK government’s Industrial Fuel Switching Competition programme. Supported…

  Sainsbury’s launches new initiative that will recycle the food waste produced by the supermarket to power 30 trucks at its Emerald Park distribution centre. By producing biofuel from its food waste, Sainsbury’s says it will save over 3,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Waste processor RenECO currently works with Sainsbury’s to turn food waste that can’t be donated or used for animal feed into biogas via anaerobic digestion. Sainsbury’s said it will now use the biogas output of the anaerobic digestion to create a liquid biofuel suitable for HGVs. Today’s announcement underscores the power that collaboration has in driving impactful change across business. The supermarket said that the system…

  Influencers will urge young people not to vape as part of the UK Government’s nationwide campaign to highlight the health risks associated with vaping. The Love Your Lungs campaign aims to highlight the harms of vaping and nicotine addiction to13 to 18 year olds. The campaign will roll out primarily on social media and use influencers to speak directly to younger audiences. Last year, the UK Government announced the sale of disposable vapes will be banned from June 2025, as part of the “first step” on the road towards a circular economy. 10-year study to shed light on youth vaping The Department of Health and Social Care also announced…