Residents in Rhondda Cynon Taf who mix recyclables in with their residual waste could face a £100 on-the-spot fine, following a vote in favour of a series of measures to increase recycling rates by the council’s cabinet last week (25 Jan).

Carpet Recycling UK could be on track to meet its ambitious 60 per cent diversion rate by 2020 as the total volume of carpet waste diverted from landfill reached 42 per cent in 2017.

Defra’s Chief Scientific Advisor recommended moving away from further investment in incineration capacity, warning increased capacity could actually sustain the flow of residual waste and lead to lower recycling rates.

A new plastic recycling facility has been given the go-ahead in Warwickshire after Beauparc Utilities chose the UK site instead of Dublin, reportedly due to permit delays in Ireland and the urgent need for capacity.

Resource Minister Therese Coffey announced yesterday that Defra will open a £500,000 Food Waste Reduction Fund to organisations working to increase the redistribution of surplus food in England.

Derry City and Strabane District Council in Northern Ireland has adopted a new economic strategy aimed at transitioning the region to a zero waste circular economy, with the potential to save up to £3 million a year as a result.

Newcastle could make the leap to a 65 per cent recycling rate by 2030 and reduce waste by up to 10 per cent by 2025, according to a new report from the Newcastle Waste Commission.

Conwy County Borough Council has announced that it is set to implement a four-weekly black bin collection across the county, following a trial of the change carried out last year.

Resources Minister Therese Coffey says that she ‘challenges the view’ that the Chinese ban on waste imports presents a crisis for the UK, but suggested that dramatic rules on packaging could be on the way.

Co-op will be the first UK retailer to roll out 100 per cent biodegradable, plastic-free tea bags in its own-brand Fairtrade 99 range of tea.