Following accusations made by Greenpeace this week, Environment Secretary Michael Gove has failed to deny in Parliament that Defra is opposed to the recycling target of 65 per cent by 2035 set by the EU’s Circular Economy Package.

With the release of the Global Circularity Report claiming only nine per cent of the world’s resources are cycled back into the economy after use, the circular economy is front and centre at this year’s World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.

Lack of funding at Defra could have serious repercussions for the waste and resources sector after Brexit, with Greener UK’s Brexit Risk Tracker maintaining it as a ‘high risk’ policy area.

Five recyclable and compostable packaging innovations will share $1 million of funding after being announced as the winners of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Circular Materials Challenge in Davos, Switzerland, designed to finding alternatives to plastic packaging.

New public water fountains and bottle refill points are set to be set up across London, part of Mayor Sadiq Khan’s campaign against single-use plastic waste.

The EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee has called for clarity on the future of UK waste policy and the protection of barrier-free trade with Europe.

Leicester-based recycling and waste management firm Casepak has been awarded a 20,000 tonne recycling contract by Cherwell District and South Northamptonshire Council

The European plastics industry has responded positively to the release of the EU’s first Europe-wide plastics strategy, expressing support for improved EPR and the headline goal of ensuring that all plastic packaging is recyclable by 2030.

A round-up of news from the waste and resources sector including an extended contract for Biffa, new offerings from suppliers Mick George, an update on the Midlothian EfW plant and a new acquisition by Enva Group.

The Environment Agency has announced a £750,000 investment for the creation of a dedicated team to address plastic pollution in the South West of England.