A consortium of UK and Indian businesses and organisations has developed a new compostable film designed to reduce food and plastic waste backed by Innovate UK and coordinated by the Newton Fund.

The Recycling Association has asked Defra to ensure that household recycling collections are maintained to maintain sufficient availability of material for food and medical supply packaging.

The UK waste sector has issued a joint statement to the public urging residents to follow government advice on managing their household rubbish to minimise the spread of coronavirus to waste workers and warning of emergency service changes.

UK waste management companies are working up contingency plans to ensure that they are able to continue to provide waste services and keep their operatives safe during the coronavirus outbreak.

Ray Georgeson will take temporary charge of international waste management charity WasteAid once CEO Mike Webster leaves his post at the end of March.

Veolia and the trade union Unite have reached a settlement over unpaid holiday pay to refuse workers in Tower Hamlets to ensure streets are clean during the coronavirus crisis.

Waste sector workers should be designated as “key workers” so that they can gain access to childcare and continue to perform vital waste service roles during the coronavirus outbreak, says the Environmental Services Association.

Derby City Council has announced that it will be suspending its garden and food waste collections in light of the coronavirus outbreak, with general waste and dry recycling collections expected to be disrupted in the ‘coming weeks and months’.

Pennon Group has entered into a £4.2-billion agreement for the sale of Viridor to newly-formed company Planets UK Bidco Limited.

The Scottish Government has delayed its deposit return scheme (DRS) until July 2022 amid concerns over the Covid-19 pandemic.