Chemical Recycling  is the process of converting plastic waste into raw materials to make new plastic, helping reduce the need for fossil fuels - the feedstock of most plastics. Chemical Recycling initially appeared to be a promising solution to the plastic waste crisis, however, concerns are growing about its effectiveness, environmental impacts and economic sustainability.     The Reality Behind the Technology Chemical Recycling is proving to be a costly gamble. The most co

You have dutifully cleaned, dried, and separated your household plastics. When you do your weekly shop, you take your plastic bags and chuck them into the supermarket’s soft plastics recycling bin. You have done your bit.  But where do your used plastics go? Despite your best efforts, your household recycling may end up in an illegal dump on the other side of the world. The UK exports 9.25 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, making it the sixth largest exporter in the

It is estimated that 11 million tonnes of plastic debris enter the oceans each year. Every year, the world produces over 400 million tonnes of plastic, and with recycling rates remaining below 10% globally, the volume entering our oceans continues to grow. Poor waste management and littering cause plastic to enter rivers and waterways, eventually pouring into the ocean. Discarded fishing gear is another major contributor. Once in the ocean, plastic is easily swept away by oc

Considered one of the greatest environmental risks to health, air pollution is laden with fine particulate matter that causes cardiovascular and respiratory disease, cancers, and substantial mortality. Cleaning up our air demands concerted action by local, national, and international level policy makers.  A 2023 briefing  from the United Kingdom Without Incineration Network (UKWIN) examined claims and assumptions about the health impacts of ‘Energy from Waste’ incinerators,

“If you really believe in something you can make it happen and it’s okay to make it up as you go along.”* Back in 2016, Dan Webb thought that plastic pollution happened in other parts of the world, not at home in the UK. But when he moved out of London to the coast, he was really shocked to see how much plastic pollution there was on the beaches, and decided to do something about it. Inspiration He started to realise just how much packaging there was, the amount that he was b

From bread bags to bubble wrap, crisp packets to cling film, we are still heavily reliant on soft plastic packaging despite the damage it does to the planet after use.  Recycling has been shown to be largely ineffective . We need to reduce our reliance on soft plastics in the first place and encourage reusable packaging. The Role of Supermarkets Despite promising to phase out  soft plastics, UK supermarkets have been failing to meet their own targets on reducing soft plastic

As consumers, we often view the market through a “what’s inside” lens. The delicious pastry in its bag, moisturizing cream in its tub or brand-new clothes wrapped in plastic. But what about the outside? These discarded layers might not feel like our choice, yet they quietly become a part of our daily lives, and our growing waste problem.  Packaging waste has been rising over the past decade and in response, the EU launched its European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Econ

We’ve just heard about a new recycling scheme, very similar to a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), operating in three Suffolk towns. This...

“If you really believe in something you can make it happen and it’s okay to make it up as you go along.”* Back in 2016, Dan Webb thought...

The WWF-UK reports that in the UK alone we use between 2.5 billion and 5 billion disposable coffee cups every year. The UK government...

Environmental and economic arguments for reuse Too often conflated with recycling, reuse involves multiple circulations of reusable...

A recent study by the University of Strathclyde reveals that alarming amounts of microplastics are being produced by an unnamed plastics...

With 49 million tonnes of plastic consumed annually across Europe in packaging alone, our appetite for plastic grows ever more ravenous. ...

‘The Fraud of Plastic Recycling’ reveals plastic producers have known for decades that plastic recycling is not a real solution.

It was over one year ago that a train in East Palestine, Ohio derailed and caused an explosion, waking residents in the small town. The...

‘Soft plastics’ are a category of plastic waste that includes things like clear film, crisp packets, fruit bags, food pouches and biscuit...

The huge glass packaging industry could make a big impact in the transition to sustainable packaging systems. Glass packaging is a major...

Poisoning. Dismemberment. Disease. It sounds like a horror film in the making. But this is the reality faced by many beneath the ocean’s sur

Is recycling too successful? While this may seem almost oxymoronic, some environmentalists think it is the case. Following the...

Biodegradability is a complex issue. Unknown and unclear terms are used in misleading ways. We have all heard the buzzwords around...