Host of the Festival of Circular Economy 2025 and owner of sustainable innovation studio Ape, Mark Shayler, explains why a circular future has arrived by examining two successful circular economy businesses. The future is circular we hear – and it is. It offers a vital shift in how we manage resources and stimulate economic growth, especially at a time when resource scarcity is becoming more pressing. Host of the Festival of Circular Economy 2025 and owner of sustainable innovation studio Ape, Mark Shayler. Globally we currently wastes more than 90% of the materials we extract, all that circularity attempts to do is to stop the economy leaking. The circular…

  The UK Government has announced grants totalling £13.6 million have been offered to 12 food redistribution charities across England. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) says the grants will help redistribute an estimated 19,000 tonnes of food from farms to homeless shelters, food banks and charities. Commenting on the grants, Waste Minister Mary Creagh, who is also responsible for the circular economy, said: “This government’s Plan for Change is acting on food poverty and tackling Britain’s throwaway culture, ensuring more good food ends up on plates and not in bins. “I am delighted to see this support go to 12 outstanding redistribution charities to form closer…

  New research from WEFT found that over 70% of UK adults indicated they would like to see an extended producer responsibility scheme for textiles introduced. WEFT & QSA Partners have investigated consumer tolerance to extended producer responsibility (EPR) fees on clothing. The purpose of the research was to determine consumer acceptance thresholds for EPR fees and identify at what price points these fees might begin to alter purchasing decisions. It also explored whether a charge could increase funding for recycling and reuse systems, and encourage more sustainable fashion choices, without putting off consumers from making purchases. The research was led by WEFT and QSA Partners, and delivered by Icaro…

  Biffa has removed 450 tonnes of hazardous material from the UK’s last coal-fired power station. Uniper’s Ratcliffe on Soar power station was closed in September 2024 after generating electricity for UK homes and businesses for almost 60 years. Since November 2024, a team of more than 20 Biffa specialists, including industrial chemists and dangerous goods safety advisors, has supported the decommissioning of the power station’s water treatment plant and fuel oil system. Biffa has announced it has reached the halfway point of the 12-month project after removing 450 tonnes of hazardous material, including high-concentration sulphuric acid and fuel oil, as well as effluent and anionic and cationic resins. Using…

  Carmen Fernández Ayuso, Head of Coordination and R&D Management at CETEC, explores how innovative company PHAntastic’s bio-based solutions are helping to create healther soils and a cleaner agricultural industry. Microplastics can be found all over the planet – even in some of our most remote areas – so it’s not surprising that plastics are also deeply embedded in agricultural practices. Conventional farming practices are heavily reliant on synthetic agrochemicals and fossil-based plastics and contribute to soil degradation, water contamination, biodiversity loss, and growing public health concerns. Agrochemicals – including fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides – have also long been essential tools for boosting crop yields and ensuring food security. The…

  The Environment Agency has revoked Mineral Processing Ltd.’s environmental permit after accusing it of showing a ‘total disregard’ for local residents. The Planning Inspectorate dismissed an appeal made by Mineral Processing against the Environment Agency issuing a suspension notice at the site in Yorkshire. The Inspectorate agreed that the waste on site exceeded the permitted amount ‘by some considerable margin’. The dismissal also established that waste was being misdescribed as waste being brought onto the site was not allowed by the permit. This includes evidence from Environment Agency testing in 2022 that found hazardous substances, which is not permitted. The Planning Inspectorate also agreed there is a risk of…

  The Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport (ADEPT) funds local highway authorities to measure and identify how to reduce their carbon emissions. The Carbon Leadership Programme, supported by the Department for Transport, has been developed by Proving Services in partnership with ADEPT and aims to support local highway authorities in implementing practical carbon reduction measures.  Described as a ‘first-of-its-kind’ programme, ADEPT says it provides a standardised way for councils to calculate the amount of carbon emitted from local road maintenance activities and where to direct efforts to reduce this carbon footprint. Available from June 2025, the Carbon Leadership Programme consists of two modules: a baseline carbon…

Bin strikes in Birmingham could last until December after 97% of refuse workers voted in favour of continuing industrial action. The vote, which had a 75% turnout, follows Birmingham City Council being granted an interim High Court injunction aimed at preventing striking waste workers from obstructing vehicles at three depot sites. Unite has pledged to continue its action lawfully and peacefully. In a statement, the union criticised the council’s decision to pursue legal action, stating it should instead focus on delivering a fair resolution. Commenting on the ballot, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham, said: “After smearing these workers in public since January and telling them to accept a fair and reasonable…

  Haringey Council issued 2,554 fines for fly-tipping and littering totalling £1,393,350 between April 2024 and March 2025. A recent survey by the council found overwhelming support for stricter measures to tackle fly-tipping and littering. It revealed that 96% of residents were in favour of imposing fines on fly-tippers, while 94% supported penalties for littering and dog fouling. Local businesses and community organisations also voiced their concerns, with 83% backing fines to combat fly-tipping. Following this, the council said it deployed an additional 15 environmental enforcement officers as part of its existing team to combat fly-tipping and littering. Commenting on the announcement, councillor Seema Chandwani, Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality…

  Operations begin at Veolia’s new 25,000 tonnes per annum Hazardous Waste Transfer Station in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The facility will serve the chemical, agrochemical, pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries in the region. UK resource management company Veolia says the facility will provide the full range of recycling and treatment options for hazardous waste. Veolia already operates seven existing hazardous waste transfer stations and supporting treatment infrastructure in the UK. The new site houses a new laboratory for analysing and identifying wastes, which will segregate each item based on potential hazards and physical and chemical properties. After analysis, the waste streams will go on to the appropriate treatment. By using the latest technologies…