Sir Philip Dilley has resigned from his position as Chairman of the Environment Agency, citing the ‘inappropriate’ expectations of the role and ‘unacceptable’ media scrutiny following the recent floods.

Industry bodies have given their views on altered business packaging targets for plastic and glass after a Defra consultation closed last month.

The Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association has called on government to take more action to support AD, after it emerged that parliament uses the treatment method to dispose of all of its food waste.

The UK should follow the example of the United States and ban manufacturers from using plastic microbeads in cosmetics and soaps, says Green Party Leader Natalie Bennett.

More consideration is needed before a decision can be made on a deposit-return scheme (DRS) in Scotland, Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead has said.

Litter levels are ‘acceptable’ in 90 per cent of surveyed sites in England, though fast-food and carrier-bag litter has increased significantly in the last year, Keep Britain Tidy found in its annual Local Environment Quality Survey of England.

The privatisation of the Green Investment Bank GIB has been ‘rushed’ and should not go ahead unless the government can guarantee that it will stick to its original mandate, says the Environmental Audit Committee.

Further research is needed into biodegradability standards before biodegradable bags can be made exempt from the English carrier bag charge, according to a Defra review.

The UK’s total household waste recycling rate rose to 44.9 per cent in 2014, up from 44.1 per cent in 2013, according to official statistics released today (15 December) by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

Moray Council’s resource management team has become the first in Scotland to sign up to a national commitment to prioritise health and safety, managed by Zero Waste Scotland.