Peterborough has been awarded the first Zero Waste Places accreditation by Defra, the BREW Centre and Northampton Univeristy. The city’s project has helped 120 businesses improve waste management, diverted over 3,000 tonnes of waste from landfill, prevented 1,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions and saved over £20,000 since its launch in April 2008. Helen Bird, National Coordinator for the BREW Centre, said: “The accreditation… denotes a marker in the sand for best practice for which all our cities should be aiming.”
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How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.