Over half of Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) have now reopened, though with significant disruption, according to the latest Covid-19 local authority impacts survey, as the number of councils providing normal food waste and garden waste collection services increases.

A new global waste standard has been released by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) to enable companies to track their waste generation and encourage a shift towards sustainable business practices.

Sheffield City Council has implored members of the public to respect waste operatives at Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) after reports of abuse have surfaced, warning they risk closure if abuse continues.

The plastics export sector has urged the government to increase financial support for companies, amid concerns over the impact of Covid-19 on supply chain operations.

A pay dispute between refuse workers in Wirral belonging to the trade union Unite and waste management company Biffa Waste Services has been settled after workers agreed to an improved pay offer.

Councils have had to remind residents what counts as essential waste as long queues form at Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) which began to reopen across England this week.

A new study released last week (8 May) supported by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) suggests that regulatory barriers and technological ‘lock-in’ are hampering plastic packaging recycling efforts.

Three European trade associations have called on the European Commission to safeguard the waste management provisions outlined in the European Green Deal and its associated Circular Economy Action Plan as part of a post-coronavirus green economic recovery.

Almost half of councils have plans to reopen their Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) within the next two weeks, according to the latest Covid-19 local authority impacts survey, while recycling collections have experienced a slight increase in disruption.

The government has stated that there is ‘no reason in law’ why Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) shouldn’t be open and has yet again urged local authorities to reopen sites, issuing guidance on how to do so safely during the Covid-19 pandemic.