A joint analysis by The Guardian and the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) warns that the United Kingdom is falling behind the European Union on environmental protections in the wake of Brexit. Since leaving the EU, Britain has rolled back at least four significant safeguards covering habitats, air and water quality, and chemical safety.…
In the European Commission’s latest publication, new draft rules have been put forward to standardize how companies calculate, verify and report chemically-recycled content in single-use plastic beverage bottles. This initiative is part of the EU’s push to achieve strict recycled content targets under the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), which demands 25 % recycled PET in…
A global review of waste and pollution data has revealed that countries with deposit return schemes (DRS) see significantly less drinks container litter on their beaches. According to circular economy organization Reloop, nations that have adopted these systems report, on average, a 54% reduction in beverage container waste in coastal areas. Drastic Cut in…
The once-promising expansion of rigid polyolefin recycling in Europe has reached an impasse, according to a recent joint analysis by Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE) and ICIS. After years of steady growth, recycling capacities for high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) plateaued in 2023, revealing a significant slowdown in progress within the European recycling sector. …
A few days ago, the Netherlands Institute for Sustainable Packaging (KIDV) published the English translations of its 2025 Recycle Checks for various packaging materials, including rigid and flexible plastics, glass, metal, paper, cardboard, and beverage cartons. These tools help companies determine if their packaging designs meet recyclability standards. Unified Online Platform for All Materials…
India has introduced amendments to its Plastic Waste Management Rules, aiming to improve traceability and compliance in the packaging sector. The updated regulations, announced by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, require that plastic packaging include specific identification information such as barcodes, QR codes, or unique numbers. These updates are intended to increase…
Sustainability in packaging has become a central issue for businesses worldwide, yet many companies are struggling to meet the data requirements necessary for compliance. A global survey conducted by packaging consultancy Aura highlights a significant gap in how businesses track their sustainable packaging data, with many still relying on outdated manual methods. As regulatory frameworks…
A comprehensive study published in Environmental Science & Technology evaluates the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of plastic products versus their alternatives across 16 applications. These include key sectors such as packaging, construction, automotive, textiles, and consumer goods, which together account for 90 % of global plastic use. The findings reveal a counterintuitive reality: replacing plastics…
Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have achieved a breakthrough in developing eco-friendly alternatives to PET (polyethylene terephthalate) for packaging. By employing advanced metabolic engineering techniques, the team created a microbial strain capable of producing pseudoaromatic polyester monomers. These materials offer improved biodegradability and physical properties, presenting a promising solution…
The UK non-profit organization, Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), is pressing the UK Government to enforce a ban on plastic packaging for uncut fresh fruits and vegetables in retail. This recommendation is part of WRAP’s broader strategy to cut down on food and plastic waste, aiming to reduce the UK’s overall environmental impact by…
A groundbreaking solution to the global issue of plastic pollution has emerged from the University of Edinburgh. E.V.A. Biosystems, a university startup, has developed a pioneering plastic that promises to help solve one of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges, by breaking itself down when entering water, without producing harmful microplastics. Tackling Pollution with…
The US Plastics Pact recently published an updated report emphasizing the urgent need to eliminate problematic and unnecessary materials from the plastics value chain. The document proposes new strategies for tackling circular design challenges, particularly the issue of contamination in recycling streams, and suggests a series of material bans, including those on oxo-degradable products. …