The UK’s municipal recycling rate continues to sit well below those of leading European recycling nations such as Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, according to municipal waste data from Eurostat, although its recycling rate has improved slightly.

A round-up of news from the waste and resources industry, including Biffa, First Mile, J&B Recycling, Recycling Technologies and Fulcrum.

Glass recycling company Recresco has reiterated concerns from the glass industry over the mooted ‘all-in’ UK deposit return scheme (DRS) for beverage containers, warning it could have a “negative rather than a positive impact” on the UK recycling.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has released two policy papers on monitoring and evaluation of the government’s Resources and Waste Strategy for England.

Defra has begun the recruitment process for the inaugural Chair of the Office for Environmental Protection.

A new study by think-tanks Pew Charitable Trusts and SYSTEMIQ estimates that plastic pollution in the ocean could triple by 2040.

Yorkshire-based polymer reprocessor invests in pre-sort capability to accept a wider range of input materials.

With only four per cent of soft flexible plastic packaging currently recycled, a new roadmap has been released by WRAP to create a circular economy for these materials.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow has warned the tobacco industry to “step up” and play its part in tackling cigarette butt litter or the government will consider legislating to force the industry to tackle the issue.

The Environment Agency (EA) released its new five-year plan on Thursday (9 July), urging the government not to return to ‘business as usual’ in its recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.