The UK’s planning authorities must be more flexible towards the waste sector if the benefits of a circular economy are to be realised, according to the ESA.

Recycling rates in East Devon have immediately increased by as much as 15 per cent, following the introduction of a three-weekly bin collection, findings suggest.

Defra says that it is ‘committed’ to publishing its long-term environmental plan after a leaked draft of the long-awaited document was criticised by environmental groups amid rumours it may never see the light of day.

The government’s new Litter Strategy for England has been widely well-received, though some concerns about funding, the role of EPR and implications on waste management have been voiced.

Litterers could be fined up to £150 and councils stopped from charging householders for disposing DIY household waste at recycling centres as part of the government’s new and long-anticipated litter strategy for England.

North London Waste Authority has responded to government’s draft industrial strategy, pointing out that it makes no mention of waste, the circular economy or society’s need to manage physical resources better.

The British Plastics Federation Recycling Group (BPFRG) has launched a new strategy with the aim of improving plastic recycling in the UK, retaining valuable material and creating UK-based jobs through industry-led initiatives and regulation.

Independent think thank Green Alliance has published a collection of short essays from business and policy professionals saying the government must go ‘much further’ to embed resource efficiency in the UK economy.

Environmental consultancy Eunomia Research & Consulting has been appointed by the European Commission to run a study investigating how to reduce the effects of microplastics escaping into the oceans.

The ‘whole body’ of existing EU environmental law will be carried over into UK law when Britain leaves the EU in 2019, the government has confirmed through its Great Repeal Bill white paper.