The Parliament has pushed through an amendment to the Packaging Regulations to prevent missing packaging recycling target for metals. The updated regulations will provide a greater sense of clarity for businesses while eliminating "unnecessary administrative burden" Some have expressed concerns about the amendment, saying that the changes might decrease overseas environmental standards while favouring the metal packaging sector. Before the amendment was passed in Parliament, Climate Change and Waste Minister Joan Ruddock spoke before the Twelfth Delegated Legislation Committee of the House of Commons saying that the update was nothing more than a mere "technical change" to the existing Packaging Regulations. "It would ... Full Story

Many people are talking about the installation of the new beverage carton recycling scheme being offered by Wiltshire County Council, Hills Waste Solutions, Tetra Pak Ltd., and the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment. Still, little is known about carton recycling. Here are a few items to better explain. Beverage cartons are made up of three main materials: Paperboard (typically 70-90%); Low-density polyethylene (typically 10-25%); and Aluminium foil (about 5%, only in long life or aseptic packages). Baled cartons are dropped into a machine called a "pulper", which is filled with water. The cartons become "delaminate" and the whole of the ... Full Story

Solo Cup Europe has joined together with Closed Loop London to produce recycled food-grade plastic for use in the manufacture of its products. Closed Loop London is known for its recycling solutions - the company collects discarded recyclable packaging materials, sorts, cleans and shreds it into tiny flakes that can be used to manufacture new products. The recycled material is sold to manufacturing companies, who in turn use it for new packaging materials, thereby "closing the loop" and preventing unnecessary waste. This partnership will cause Solo Cup Europe to be first company on the market with "a range of fully recycled ... Full Story

An amount of 16 extra facilities across Richmondshire including several of those in the district's remotest areas are now operational to recycle cardboard. Cardboard ranks among the more difficult goods to recycle, especially in rural environments, because the material is very bulky. This means that collection trucks fill up rapidly, without transporting much weight. But waste collection policy's changes have resulted in 16 extra collection points across Richmondshire District. The new cardboard collection sites have been stationed at recycling centres at Dalton-on-Tees, Newsham, Hawes, Hildyard Row, Muker, Reeth, Manfield, Langthwaite, Barton, Askrigg, Aysgarth, Redmire, Moulton, Newton-le-Willows, Hunton and East Witton. For example, the Gayle ... Full Story

In the US one town is taking stand to force the reduction in plastic bag usage. This summer the local Kroger grocery shops in Columbus, Mississippi are aiming to offer customers  a straightforward way to  cut down garbage and save some dollars by providing a two-fold “eco-friendly bag” system. This environmental-friendly program, which commenced about eight weeks ago, allows clients to buy reusable shopping bags as a green option to using more than one plastic or disposable paper grocery bags per outlet visit. “We offer two sizes of the eco-friendly bags,” announced Gloria Williams who is Columbus Kroger’s co-manager. “The usual size ... Full Story

Last weekend, a local campaign against the use of plastic bags got a boost. Over 1,000 reusable bags were handed out to shoppers at the town centre in Harborough district. The district is being assisted in their anti-plastic campaign by the Mail. Last Friday, Harborough Improvement Team’s Environment group gathered at The Square in order to hold a roadshow. The event organizers estimated that there were 1,200 reusable bags distributed during the course of the day where despite bag weather, 512 people pledged their support to the cause. Mary Danks, chairman of the environment group, said: “I feel it was a real success, ... Full Story

Recycling specialists at South Ribble Borough Council are sending out a plea to the locals to bear in mind the fact that good things come in small packages as they do their shopping for the Easter season. Close to eighty million chocolate eggs will be sold in the United Kingdom in the coming days and surveys show that most of these Easter treats will be highly over-wrapped. Consequently councils will have more than five thousand tonnes of extra plastic, tin foil and cardboard waste to grapple with. That’s why this time round South Ribble Borough Council is urging the locals not to ... Full Story

Business leaders in Cumbria have been empowered with information on ways of reducing the cost of packaging and the effects of packaging on the environment. This was done at a special one-day seminar where they were also educated on the present legislation besides exploring ways and means of reducing packaging as well as the use of recycled materials. The workshop was organised by two Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency programmes namely Cumbria Business Environment Network and Distinctly Cumbrian. Ian Winchester of Distinctly Cumbrian affirmed that packaging was a huge expense for business enterprises and that many Cumbrian firms wanted to cut these expenses besides ... Full Story

A north-east authority on sustainability issues says that recent legislative laws aimed at reducing the effects of packaging on the environment will persuade smaller firms in the supply chain to look for more efficient and environmentally friendly ways of packaging. For instance from April, sending waste to a landfill will cost companies eight pounds per thousand kilograms. It is the belief of the Envirowise regional manager for the North-east, Guy Bashford that smaller firms in the retailing and manufacturing sector will generate big savings if they recycle and adopt waste management methods that are in line with current trends and ... Full Story

Unite the Union has judged Cadbury's launch of 'eco eggs' as 'green-washing'.  The confectionery giant has unveiled a range entitled ‘Treasure Eggs’ that will come foil wrapped as opposed to being sold in a box.  Cadbury's has stated the change in manufacturing is aimed at reducing the amount of plastic by 75% compared to traditional eggs. However, Unite the Union said the company is proceeding with its plans to close its Somerdale Chocolate factory and export the work to Poland. Unite added that this plan will add seven million extra miles that products such as Fudge, Crunchie, Curly Wurly, Milk ... Full Story

Pak Mail Centers around the country have teamed up with The Peanut Hotline, a packing peanuts reuse program created in 1991 by the Plastic Loose Fill Council.  Jeff Clobes, owner of the Pak Mail Center located at 3910 Vogel Road, explained, "Our customers can now drop off unwanted plastic peanuts at our store where we will recycle and reuse them and together we will be making a significant contribution to working to keep our planet green." Recycling is more than simply passing phase.  According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the popularity as well as the need to recycle ... Full Story

The Canadian Polystyrene Recycling Association in Mississauga is closing.  Toronto had contracted with them to handle its plastics.  Now, the city of Toronto is trying to find alternatives for its trash diversion plans. Toronto was in the process of launching its new recycling plan with mega blues bins to collect polystyrene and plastic bags.  Every Toronto residence will have one by this spring. Foamed polystyrene has a very large volume.  One kilogram of polystyrene packaging can fill more than two household garbage cans.  It is used for packaging electronic equipment and food containers. The company stated that declining revenues were forcing it to ... Full Story