The councils of Monmouthshire and Cardiff are to joint the list of the first local authorities in Britain to send nappies to recycling. These councils will collect disposable nappies, as well as other absorbent hygiene products, from 2,500 households. Over a trial period of six months, the waste is to be sent to West Bromwich's Knowaste Absorbent Hygiene Products Plant. In the past, around 200m disposable nappies per year have been thrown away by parents in Wales, as alleged by Waste Awareness Wales - a promoter of green issues. Sterilising materials before they recover plastics for re-use, Knowaste Ltd said that the ... Full Story

Only two per cent of Britain's public believes David Cameron is fulfilling his promise to run the UK's "greenest government ever", according to a new YouGov poll. Members of the public were asked to rate how well the Coalition has lived up to promises the Prime Minister made only three days after taking office. During his visit to the government's Department of Energy and Climate Change, the PM told Chris Huhne, as well as civil servants, of his passion for creating a greener Britain. Because of cuts to renewable energy subsidies, as well as a letter that was signed by 101 Tory ... Full Story

Up to £3,500,000 will go towards training the workforce the Coalition Government believes will deliver its energy efficiency scheme, known as the Green Deal, it has been announced. This funding is to go towards the UK being as prepared as possible for the Green Deal's launch later this year through ensuring that enough people have been trained to a higher standard and can install insulation or assess home energy efficiency. The money will help deliver several hundreds of new Green Deal apprenticeships in addition to upping the skills of those already earning a living in construction, the Government said. By experts, a ... Full Story

Supermarkets and manufacturers will be forced to donate surplus food to charities by law in order to  cut-down the "scandalous" amounts of food that is wasted in the UK, as part of proposals for the food waste bill, drawn up by Bristol East Labour MP Kerry McCarthy. The food waste bill will be brought forward under Parliament's 10-minute ruling, which allows MPs the right to try and bring-in private members' bills. The bill already had cross-party support before receiving its first reading this week, and supporters believe that it will be successful in drawing attention to a specific issue of growing environmental concern. Ms McCarthy ... Full Story

New research by General Electric has suggested that this year's London Olympic Games are yet to convince the British public of the sustainability legacy the event will supposedly have. In spite of London 2012 already being dubbed history's greenest ever Olympic Games before the competition has even started, just five per cent of British consumers believe that the Games will improve green credentials in the UK or reduce environmental impact, as alleged  by a GE report that was published today. This study also finds just 12 per cent of people in the UK believe that the Olympics are to leave behind sustainable ... Full Story

A hosepipe ban in Oxfordshire will apparently be beaten by gardeners such as Richard Preston making use of personal alternatives. Thames Water and at least six other firms have said that they are to impose water restrictions after a pair of unusually dry winters in 2011 and 2010 resulted in reservoirs, aquifer,s and rivers being below normal levels. Although this could be disastrous for Oxfordshire gardeners and owners of allotment owners, many will turn to their own supplies and will beat the ban. Richard Preston, a retired allotment owner that grows vegetables in Steeple Ason, admitted that he stands in an envious ... Full Story

ESA, the Environmental Services Association, has called on Chancellor George Osbourne to introduce tax relief for all companies developing waste management infrastructure with his forthcoming Budget. The ESA, the trade body for the UK's waste sector, is making specific calls for the introduction of ‘Green Infrastructure Investment Allowances’ which can be used for offsetting financing costs of maintaining recycling and energy recovery sites by reducing the rate of corporation taxes they must pay. It was explained by ESA that the industrial building allowances which formerly supported waste infrastructure have been phased out in the last few years, which has resulted in ... Full Story

The prosecution of four men and two companies that stand accused of exporting waste to Brazil illegally is to be heard at London's Old Bailey in April, after Magistrates this morning committed the case for trial. Mr Jonathan Coombe, aged 41, of Romford, Mr Simon Edwards, aged 46, of Loughton, Essex, Mr Julio Da Costa, aged 51, and Mr Juliano Da Costa, aged 27, of Swindon, stand accused of contravening 2007's Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Act by exporting household waste to Brazil in 2008 and 2009. The two companies, which are namely Companies Edwards Waste Paper Litmited and Edwards Recycling Ltd, the ... Full Story

Hollywood action legend Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that the time for talking is over while launching a new initiative that aims to have the planet's first realistic sustainable world model developed by 2020. Named 'Sustainia', the project was launched in Geneva, Switzerland, and is an ambitious collaboration to identify companies and individuals that can make needed changes to create a more sustainable society. The scheme's aim is to push government decision-makers into creating necessary policies that will improve quality of life for the world's population. The former governor of California, Schwarzenegger is heading the initiative and is joined by a committee of the ... Full Story

Southwark council has launched a new mobile recycling centre for residents to recycle any items that can't be included in usual household recycling collections. A specially designed vehicle is being used by the local authority. Each week, the vehicle will travel to various housing estates around Southwark and residents will be able to deposit items including textiles, wood, cardboard, small WEEE and batteries for recycling. Southwark's council developed the service with help from Veolia Environmental Services after receiving a grant of £50,000 from LWaRB - the London Waste and Recycling Board. Councillor Barrie Hargrove, the cabinet member of Southwark's transport, environment, and ... Full Story

A ‘winner takes all’ stance on the sale of textiles around London might strip charities of the ability to raise funds, textile recycling group TRAID has warned. TRAID, one of the front-running textile recycling charities operative in the UK, has voiced its concerns after the publication of the report that details proposals for one pan-London consortium contract that would see textiles being collected from bring banks. The idea is currently being investigated by LwaRB, the London Waste and Recycling Board, and London Councils. It has been hoped that moves to a consortia contract might save London local authorities much-needed money through ... Full Story

A Derbyshire council is looking to boost recycling rates through personal calls to local residents. Two advisors from South Derbyshire District Council are scheduled to call at houses over the next five weeks with a view to discussing recycling face to face. Authorities say that they hope such a move will help residents in finding out what they need to know about recycling and composting scheme work in their local area. According to sources, the advisors will also gather views on new cardboard initiatives and plastics collections. South Derbyshire District Council wishes to see novice and existing recyclers becoming more knowledgeable after ... Full Story