The Festival of Circular Economy 2025 is shaping up to be the most exciting and impactful yet—and if you’re a CIWM member or a resource and waste management professional, this is your essential guide to what not to miss.

From heavy-hitting government voices to cutting-edge innovators and seasoned sector leaders, this year’s line-up is tailor-made for anyone serious about driving change in the world of waste, resource management, and circularity. 

Here’s your curated breakdown of the must-see sessions, talks and speakers that will spark ideas, provoke debate, and leave you energised.

This three-day hybrid event—virtual on 20–21 May and live in London on 22 May—is all about transforming systems, rethinking materials, and designing waste out from the very beginning. 

Day 1: 20 May – Unleashing the Power of Design for Circularity (Virtual)

16:50 – 17:35: Waste Not: Building End-of-Life into Business Models

Start strong with a practical exploration of how we embed circular thinking into the very foundations of product and service design. Expect big ideas, sharp insights, and real strategies from sector leaders like:

• Dr. Adam Read, Chief External Affairs & Sustainability Officer, SUEZ UK
• Melody Carraro, Senior Policy Manager, Veolia
• Yaseed Chaumoo, Managing Director, Greyparrot
• Tabitha Skeats, FCC Environment
• Doug Simpson, Principal Consultant – Waste and Resource Management Group, GHD

You’ll leave with a refreshed perspective on collaboration, design, and supply chain communication—essential for every modern waste professional.

17:45 – 18:05: Turning Off the Tap on Materials

CIWM President Tim Walker lays out a bold call to action: tackle overproduction at the source.

This session reflects on his presidential report and what it means for the future of the profession. This is your chance to hear directly from the top about the systemic shift needed to truly go circular.

18:35 – 19:05: You Say “Degrowth”, We Say “Resource Efficiency”

How do we reduce consumption without crashing the economy? This provocative panel includes:

• Mark Shayler, Circular Economy Expert
• Prof. Mark Miodownik, Materials Scientist, UCL
• Senior Representative, ReLondon

It’s a session that blends academic sharpness with real-world urgency—perfect for anyone interested in shaping tomorrow’s consumption models.

Day 2: 21 May – Revolutionising Materials & Supply Chains (Virtual)

09:20 – 09:50: Breaking Down the Materials Conversation

For waste managers who love detail, this session is a must. We’ll unpack the complex realities of material design and product composition with:

• Dr. David Greenfield, Vice President, Circular Economy Institute (CIWM Fellow and Junior Vice President)
• Sophie Thomas, CTO / Director of CE, Founder of etsaW Ventures

Topics like POPs, eco-design and lifecycle planning will be front and centre in terms of the make up of materials.

12:45 – 13:30: Valuing Materials: Unlocking Potential in a Circular Economy

Join John Twitchen (Stuff4Life and CIWM Fellow) and Mark Shayler as they tackle the difference between materials and products—and how to design and educate for maximum impact. Also featuring:

• Youma Wally Ndong, Founder, GamPlus Clothing
• Lucy Hughes, Founder, MarinaTex

This session is all about extracting more value while minimising environmental harm—core goals for any waste professional.

15:00 – 15:30: There Aren’t “Bad Materials”, Just “Bad Systems”

One of the most hotly anticipated sessions of the festival. Expect frank discussions from:

• Dr. Adam Read, SUEZ UK (CIWM Fellow and past President)
• Mark Shayler, Circular Economy Expert
• David Dyce, Vegware

This session confronts the realities of legacy infrastructure, biodegradable materials, and supply chain redesign. Unmissable for operational leaders and innovators alike.

15:30 – 16:00: EPR Packaging Laws: Designing for New Legislation

 Extended Producer Responsibility is here—and this session will help you make sense of the changes. Do you think it’s the innovations or the infrastructure that needs to adapt? Learn what packaging designers (and waste managers!) need to know to stay compliant and proactive under the new rules.

16:25 – 17:10: What’s Local vs What’s Global: Debating Production and Supply Chains

In a world of fragile global supply chains and growing calls for localisation, this session helps unpack the trade-offs. With speakers including:

• Dr. Andy Rees OBE, Head of Waste Strategy, Welsh Government
• Amy Peace, Innovate UK
• Omar AlSaleh, Royal Scientific Society
• Sophie Thomas FCIWM, CTO/ Director of CE/ Founder, etsaW Ventures/ Useful Projects/ Thomas.Matthews
• Margaret Bates (Fellow of CIWM and past President), DEFRA, University of East London
• Dr. Mervyn Jones, circular economy and circular procurement specialist at the Rijkswaterstaat in the Netherlands

Expect a global-to-local view on sustainability, resilience and production standards.

Day 3: 22 May – FOCE 2025: LIVE (London)

After two days of online insight and inspiration, FOCE LIVE! brings the circular economy conversation into the real world—in-person, in London, and in full force.

This exclusive, one-day event is where theory meets practice and big ideas turn into tangible action. Expect high-impact talks, thought-provoking panels, interactive workshops, and unrivalled opportunities to connect with fellow changemakers.

This year’s FOCE LIVE! takes place at Second Home (pictured above), an award-winning co-working and events space in Spitalfields, London, renowned for its commitment to sustainability, creativity, and community.

With its biophilic architecture, rainforest-like interiors, and circular-first ethos, Second Home is the perfect backdrop for a festival focused on regenerative thinking. It’s not just a venue—it’s a living example of circular principles in action.

Whether you’re taking part in a workshop, grabbing coffee in the green-filled café, or networking over a glass of wine in the evening, you’ll be surrounded by a space that embodies innovation and low-impact living.

Unmissable FOCE LIVE Sessions

It Ends with Waste, or Does It? Designing for Second Life

Led by Mark Sumner, Textiles Programme Lead at WRAP, this live-use case session will showcase second-life product strategies in action. A valuable case study for anyone seeking to rethink “waste” as the beginning of something new.

Ministers Address: Mary Creagh CBE MP

A headline moment for the Festival—Mary Creagh, Parliamentary Under-Secretary at DEFRA and Labour MP for Coventry East, sets out the UK Government’s goals for the Circular Economy. A vital session for all CIWM members keen to understand where national policy is heading.

CE Taskforce: The Ask, The Plan, The Opportunity for Innovation

Directly following the Minister’s address, this session features:

• Dr. David Greenfield, CEI
• Emma Bourne OBE, DEFRA
• Andrew Morlet, Chair, DEFRA’s CE Taskforce

Together, they’ll break down routemaps, sector focus areas, and the wider vision for circular innovation across government and industry.

After Hours Networking Party

Cap it all off with the FOCE After Hours Party—a relaxed, vibrant way to continue conversations, share contacts, and maybe spark your next big collaboration.

The Festival of Circular Economy 2025 is packed with content that matters to CIWM members. Whether you’re shaping policy, running a facility, managing contracts or driving innovation, this is your moment to connect with the ideas and people transforming our industry.

We’ll see you there!

The post A Waste Manager’s guide to The Festival of Circular Economy 2025 appeared first on Circular Online.

A significant majority of UK voters believe local councils are failing to adequately address litter and pollution, according to new polling data released by the Nature 2030 campaign just days before the local elections.

The research reveals that 74% of respondents think their local authority is not doing enough to tackle litter. Additionally, 72% say councils should face legal action if they fail to clear dumped rubbish, and 73% believe ministers should intervene directly during refuse worker strikes, such as those currently affecting Birmingham.

As Prime Minister Keir Starmer prepares for his first major electoral test since last summer’s general election victory, the findings suggest environmental issues could play a pivotal role in shaping voter behaviour. Forty-three percent of respondents said they are more likely to support parties that prioritise tackling waste and pollution.

The polling also uncovered dissatisfaction with plastic waste, with 78% of voters agreeing there is still too much single-use plastic in food and drinks packaging. Despite plans to introduce a UK-wide Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) by October 2027, more than half of those surveyed (51%) were unaware of the initiative.

“Voters want both councils and producers to be held accountable for tackling our litter crisis.”

Campaigners argue that both councils and the government are falling short in informing the public about efforts to reduce waste. Data from the Marine Conservation Society adds to the concern, showing a 9.5% increase in plastic pollution on UK and Channel Islands beaches between 2023 and 2024, with all five of the most commonly found items made of plastic.

There is also strong support for shifting the financial burden of clean-up efforts away from taxpayers. Seventy-six percent of respondents believe packaging producers—not the public—should pay for litter collection and recycling schemes. However, industry groups have raised concerns over the cost of compliance with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations and the forthcoming DRS.

Commenting on the findings, Sarah Dyke, Liberal Democrat MP for Glastonbury and Somerton, said: “This research shows the public urgently want to see concrete action to boost recycling while stamping out our reliance on unnecessary single-use plastics.”

Dominic Dyer, Chair of the Nature 2030 campaign, added: “Voters want both councils and producers to be held accountable for tackling our litter crisis. Candidates in Thursday’s elections should take note – the public want meaningful change, not empty promises.”

Catherine Gemmell, Policy and Advocacy Manager at the Marine Conservation Society, urged local councillors to take legislative action at the community level, including banning balloon releases and promoting litter education in schools.

The findings underscore a growing public demand for coordinated and decisive action to combat waste and pollution across all levels of government.

The post Public demands tougher action on litter as councils face voter backlash ahead of local elections appeared first on Circular Online.

Julien Tremblin, General Manager for TerraCycle Europe, explains how we need to transform our recycling efforts to move to a world beyond waste and reach net zero.

There’s no two ways about it. To achieve our net zero ambitions, we must rethink our relationship with waste.

Significant increases in recycling have been achieved in the past 30 years and it’s right to acknowledge the positive contributions this has made to environmental awareness.

Recycling reduces the need for raw material extraction, saves energy and lowers greenhouse gas emissions compared to landfilling or incineration.

According to a study by the Bureau of International Recycling, recycling can significantly cut carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 700 million tonnes annually.

Studies have shown that recycling can significantly decrease the carbon footprint of various materials, from paper and plastics to metals and glass. For example, recycling aluminium cans saves a whopping 95% of the energy required to make new cans from raw materials.

However, the recycling rates in the UK paint a sobering picture. While we can congratulate ourselves for what has been accomplished so far, the truth is that progress has stagnated.

Whilst Scotland and particularly Wales are ahead, according to Defra, the household recycling rate in England only reached 44.1% in 2022.

The 2023 numbers even show a reduction in how much waste is getting recycled. Adding to this are challenges posed by the vast amounts of waste (single-use or otherwise) generated by factories, companies and construction industries.

If businesses and the government are serious about achieving net zero by 2050, we need a radical acceleration of our efforts.

There are four major things we need to focus on to get there.

How can we achieve this goal?

Firstly, we must tackle the roughly 50% of waste currently not recycled from homes across the country.

For traditionally recyclable waste – think cans, plastic bottles, paper and cardboard – we simply need to improve capture rates. ‘Simpler Recycling’ and the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for bottles will help.

The above only works for waste that’s considered valuable. For anything else – think complex packaging or products – where it costs more to recycle the waste than the value of the material is worth, we will need alternative methods of collection and recycling.

At TerraCycle, we’ve been tackling these hard-to-recycle waste streams for years. We work with businesses and consumers alike, to collect and recycle all difficult packaging from beauty products to crisp packets, blister packs and more.

Through our various Free Recycling Programmes, we divert these materials from landfills and incineration, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving resources.

Secondly, the newly-launched EPR scheme in the UK has a big role to play. It will already incentivise brands and manufacturers away from the most complex packaging thanks to the eco-modulation.

It also allows manufacturers to offset waste that they collect and recycle via alternative systems from their EPR obligations. This is a great way to encourage brands and producers to take responsibility for the waste that their products generate.

TerraCycle’s partners that operate sizable recycling programmes whether at home, at retail or through a network of public drop-offs are already benefitting from reduced EPR fees.

Beyond that, it must ringfence funding to develop recycling capacity locally or directly subsidise the recycling of hard-to-recycle materials.

Thirdly, companies that have set clear targets for net zero must go beyond their current initiatives.

After focusing on clean energy generation or swapping fleets of vehicles, one of their clearest paths to lowering greenhouse gas emissions is to focus on reducing or eliminating waste.

Our commercial waste recycling division helps thousands of companies around the globe recycle waste streams as diverse as PPE, production scrap, or returned or unsold products that were previously destined to landfill or incineration.

Why is recycling these waste streams so important for net zero?

The impact of diverting waste from landfills and incineration is enormous. When evaluating post-Consumer Rigid Plastic Products and Packaging Recycling, the findings from a third party-verified, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) showed that across the eight key impact categories considered, including global warming potential, human carcinogenic toxicity, and fossil resource scarcity, all of the TerraCycle collection and recycling models outperformed the traditional municipal waste management options by a collective average of 73% compared to local municipal landfilling and by an average of 67% compared to incineration for waste to energy models.

On average, TerraCycle’s rigid plastics recycling programmes generate 70% less carbon emissions than waste-to-energy incineration and 53% less than municipal landfill models.

To truly move from a linear ‘take-make-dispose’ model to a circular one, we must avoid waste altogether and prioritise reuse. This is where innovative solutions like Loop come in.

Loop, launched by TerraCycle in 2018, is a reuse platform that partners with major brands to deliver their products in durable, reusable packaging.

Consumers pay a deposit for the packaging, which is fully refunded when the packaging is returned. This eliminates the need for single-use packaging altogether, dramatically reducing waste and conserving resources.

In France, where Loop is operational, we are seeing a tangible shift in consumer behaviour and a growing relevance of reuse systems.

A study by Zero Waste Europe found that reuse systems at scale can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to single-use packaging.

Loop has partnered with major retailers in France including Carrefour and Monoprix and now offers a wide range of products sold in reusable containers, from food and beverages to household cleaning supplies and personal care products.

The positive change is evident in the increasing number of consumers choosing Loop, and in the growing recognition by brands that reuse is a viable and sustainable alternative to single-use packaging.

Indeed, a Loop product can reduce on average 45% of greenhouse gas emissions compared to the traditional in-store counterpart.

Summary

The above can appear ambitious but we now know that we cannot achieve this ambitious 2050 net zero target as a nation if we don’t tackle our waste problem.

At TerraCycle, we are committed to driving this shift, from a linear to a circular economy. We will continue to innovate and find new ways to recycle and reuse challenging waste streams, to partner with brands and retailers to try and eliminate the idea of waste®, and to educate and empower consumers to make more sustainable choices.

By recycling hard-to-recycle waste streams, integrating recycled content in products and packaging and bringing reuse at scale, we have a shot at achieving our goals.

The transition to a ‘World Beyond Waste’ is not an easy one, but it is essential for achieving net zero and creating a truly sustainable future for our planet. We all just have to play our part.

The post TerraCycle: Why recycling is the key to a net zero transition appeared first on Circular Online.

Mika Järvinen, Associate Professor at Aalto University, explains how Circular Fuels is working to close the loop in sustainable aviation.

As the climate crisis reaches higher altitudes and the pressure to decarbonise soars, the aviation industry faces a choice: innovate or risk a turbulent future.

Responsible for 14.4% of the EU’s transport-related emissions, air travel remains one of the most carbon-intensive sectors and one of the hardest to decarbonise.

While electric vehicles are becoming increasingly mainstream for road transport, the dream of battery-powered long-haul flights remains distant.

The aviation sector remains dependant almost entirely on fossil fuels, contributing greatly to our current climate crisis. We must cut these carbon emissions in order to reduce our impact on the planet.

In Europe, there has been some movement towards a fossil free future in recent years. In 2021, the EU presented the Fit for 55 plan aiming to cut greenhouse gas emissions by a 55% reduction by 2030 in comparison to 1990 levels.

To help reach this target, they also introduced initiatives aiming to boost the use of cleaner aviation fuels and reduce the environmental impact.

After discussions throughout 2022 and 2023, EU leaders and the European Parliament finally reached an agreement, and the ReFuelEU Aviation regulation was officially adopted in October 2023.

The solution is clear. To advance aviation and reach these ambitious targets set by the EU, we must take a more radical approach rooted in the circular economy principles.

Closing the loop in sustainable aviation

Launched in 2023, with the backing of the EU’s Green New Deal and CORDIS initiatives, the Circular Fuels project is redefining how sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) can be developed, scaled, and integrated into our global energy system.

Not only does this project present technological upgrades, it also offers a systems-level rethinking, bringing circularity to the skies by integrating renewable energy, waste-based inputs, and zero-emission processes into a closed-loop model.

At its core, Circular Fuels is built on the foundation of circularity. Rather than relying on extractive, linear production chains that take, make, and waste, this project takes a regenerative approach.

Waste materials, including agricultural residues and forestry byproducts, are transformed into valuable bio-oils, which are then refined into high-quality, drop-in aviation fuels.

But the innovation doesn’t stop at feedstock. The process is powered entirely by solar energy, both through photovoltaic (PV) electricity and concentrated solar thermal systems.

Parabolic mirrors harness solar heat to generate temperatures over 3000°C, which are then funnelled into pyrolysis reactors that convert biomass into bio-oil. This heat production involves no combustion, meaning no carbon emissions. It’s a major leap forward in sustainable energy practices.

Meanwhile, solar PV powers PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) electrolysers are used to produce green hydrogen from water. This hydrogen is essential for the hydrotreatment of bio-oil, removing oxygen and refining the product to meet the strict quality requirements of aviation fuels.

Every step in the process is deliberately designed with circularity in mind to eliminate waste, close energy loops, and minimise environmental impact.

The implications of this model extend far beyond fuel production. From agriculture to energy, this initiative is setting a precedent for how entire sectors can integrate circularity into their operations.

For farmers and biomass producers, this means new revenue streams from agricultural waste that would otherwise be discarded or burned, as well as offering municipalities an opportunity to reduce local biomass waste whilst contributing to EU-wide climate targets.

In sectors, such as solar and hydrogen, the project creates synergy, turning intermittent renewable energy into stable, high-value products. For aviation companies and passengers, it paves the way towards low-emission air travel without sacrificing performance.

Alongside this list of benefits, the project provides policy recommendations and economic models to ensure that these technologies are not only environmentally sound, but commercially viable.

It’s a powerful reminder that circular solutions must be scalable and sustainable across social, economic, and environmental dimensions.

Circular Fuels is tightly aligned with the EU’s Fit for 55 package and RefuelEU Aviation regulation, aiming to ensure 2% SAF usage in EU airports by 2025, scaling up to 70% by 2050.

Crucially, the project focuses on advanced biofuels made from waste, as opposed to crop based biofuels which often compete with food production and degrade land quality.

Not all renewables are created equal

This is important to distinguish as not all renewables are created equal.

Crop-based biofuels can reproduce some of the extractive dynamics of fossil fuels. In contrast, Circular Fuels taps into truly regenerative resources, turning what was once waste into a product that displaces fossil kerosene, one of the aviation sector’s most polluting fuels.

It’s a blueprint for how circular economy principles can drive deep decarbonisation in even the most emissions-heavy industries.

By integrating clean energy, waste valorisation, cross-sector partnerships, and policy alignment, this initiative demonstrates how circularity can become a powerful engine for innovation and sustainability.

In a world that urgently needs scalable climate solutions, we need more than hope – we need action. With solar-powered, waste-based jet fuel on the horizon, the skies may soon be a lot cleaner thanks to the on-going hard work taking place here on the ground.

The post Fuelling the future: Closing the loop in sustainable aviation appeared first on Circular Online.

New research by Eunomia shows that implementing universal kerbside collections for waste batteries and electricals across the UK could save £6bn over the next decade.

The research, conducted by Eunomia for the Environmental Services Association (ESA), investigated the costs and benefits of various options for collecting small waste electrical devices and batteries at the kerbside.

If a kerbside scheme was rolled out today, Eunomia estimates that the number of waste fires would drop from over 700 a year to just over 100 and that the capital expenditure needed to implement the new service would equate to around 70 pence per household.

A coalition representing the waste management sector and local authorities has written to Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh calling for “urgent policy reform” to implement universal kerbside collection of batteries and waste electricals,

The letter also calls on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to ensure producers of these products pay their “fair share” for these new services.

Eunomia recommends that the best way to address battery fires is to implement universal kerbside collections of batteries and small waste electrical devices as part of normal council recycling collections.

With the number of electrical products on the market set to rise, this problem will get worse without intervention.

In its report, Eunomia suggests that the best cost/benefit balance would be achieved by retrofitting existing refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) with external cages, where possible, to safely store batteries and small waste electricals while collecting them on existing recycling rounds.

This should be supported by both national and local communications campaigns, which would be enabled and made more cost-effective by a consistent approach across the country, the report suggests.

Leyla Lugal, Principal Consultant at Eunomia, commented: “Lithium battery fires are hurting people, the economy, and the environment. With the number of electrical products on the market set to rise, this problem will get worse without intervention.

“The only way to implement change effectively and cost-efficiently is through collective action, ensuring strong communications campaigns and widespread national engagement.”

In 2023, more than 1,200 battery-related fires in waste facilities or vehicles were reported and the problem is growing year on year – with a 70% increase in fires between 2022 and 2023.

The post Universal kerbside battery collections could save £6bn, report says appeared first on Circular Online.

Councils warn expanding the Emissions Trading Scheme to include waste incineration could place ‘billions of pounds of unavoidable costs’ onto them over the next decade.

The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is a system which puts a market price on carbon emissions. It currently applies to the aviation industry, and the last government proposed to expand it to the incineration of waste from 2028.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said councils support the expansion but have ‘no meaningful levers’ to reduce the levels of fossil-based waste sent for incineration.

The LGA says the ETS tax could push costs onto councils as high as £747 million in 2028, rising to £1.1 billion in 2036, with a total cost over this period as high as £6.5 billion.

The LGA warns this could force councils to cut back services, instead of targeting manufacturers that produce plastic, in a new report.

Current proposals are hitting the wrong target.

Councils are calling on the UK Government to review plans for the ETS extension to waste to protect local services and prioritise policy and finance incentives on producers to design out fossil-based materials.

The LGA’s report found the new costs would lead to nearly 80% of councils reducing their overall waste and recycling services and a drop in the range of services provided by household recycling centres in 77% of councils.

The report found there would also be a fall in fly-tipping services in 65%, street cleaning and littering in 63%, and street bins provision in 60% of councils.

Cllr Adam Hug, environment spokesperson for the LGA, commented: “Councils want to see a reduction in carbon emissions and support the aims of the scheme, while encouraging recycling efforts, but to succeed we need to see the right incentive in the right places.

“Current proposals are hitting the wrong target. It will load billions of pounds of extra costs onto councils, who will have little choice but to cut back valued local waste and recycling services and net zero projects, while producers of fossil-based material avoid incentives to reduce what they produce.”

Hug continued that the UK Government’s Spending Review is an opportunity to review the proposals and ensure manufacturers reduce the amount of fossil-based waste they produce.

The post ETS expansion could lead to waste service cuts, warn councils appeared first on Circular Online.

News updates written by CIWM’s commercial partners.

Augean | Augean Celebrates Achievement in Health, Safety & Wellbeing

We are excited to share some remarkable news from our recent participation in the SUEZ Sustainable Supplier Awards and Market Place Day!

This year, Augean Treatment Ltd was nominated and awarded a highly commended status in the Improving Health, Safety & Wellbeing Category. This recognition is not just a trophy to place on our shelf; it reflects the collective effort, dedication, and commitment of our entire team to prioritising health and safety in all our operations.

A Proud Moment for Our Team

Attending the event was Karen Bryant, Commercial Head of Energy, who graciously accepted the award on behalf of Augean. Her presence at the ceremony symbolised the hard work and the collaborative spirit embedded in our culture. It was a proud moment that encapsulated our focus on pushing the boundaries of health, safety, and wellbeing, not just for our employees, but for everyone we work with.

Behind the Award: Team Effort

This award would not have been possible without the relentless efforts of our Energy team at Augean. Their commitment to weaving health, safety, and wellbeing into our daily operations has played a pivotal role in earning this recognition. It takes a team that is passionate about making a difference, and our Energy team has truly gone above and beyond in this regard.

Furthermore, we owe a significant portion of our success to our trusted suppliers, Lomas Distribution and Hardwick Haulage. Their partnership has enabled us to innovate and implement safer practices, fostering an environment where health and safety are never compromised.

Why Health, Safety & Wellbeing Matter

At Augean, we believe that prioritising health and safety is a foundational pillar of our business. Profit is important, but the well-being of our team, partners, and the environment is paramount. It’s not just about adhering to regulations; it’s about creating a culture that values the health and safety of everyone involved.

By fostering an environment focused on wellbeing, we not only enhance our operational efficiency but also contribute positively to the communities we serve. Working with suppliers like Lomas Distribution and Hardwick Haulage, who share our values, strengthens our resolve to maintain these high standards.

Looking Ahead

Receiving this highly commended status at the SUEZ Sustainable Supplier Awards is just the beginning. We are more motivated than ever to continue our journey to improve health, safety, and wellbeing in our operations. We will keep pushing for innovative solutions and partnerships that promote a safer work environment.

Augean is committed to being at the forefront of sustainability and health and safety practices. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey with us, and here’s to many more achievements in the future!

Optimo | Operations consultancy Optimo releases White Paper on driving sustainability in UK Higher Education

Optimo, an operations consultancy specialising in helping climate and social change organisations achieve sustainable growth, has published a new white paper addressing the practical challenges and solutions for implementing sustainability strategies within UK Higher Education institutions.

Recognising the ambitious sustainability targets set by many universities, the white paper delves into the operational complexities of turning those goals into reality.

It highlights common hurdles faced by institutions, including effective management of interdependent initiatives, stakeholder engagement and data management, and offers actionable strategies for overcoming them.

“The Higher Education sector has a pivotal role to play in driving a sustainable future,” says Danielle, Founder of Optimo. “This white paper aims to provide practical guidance to universities and their mechanisms for effective waste management play a part in helping them achieve their environmental objectives.”

Optimo’s expertise lies in optimising operations to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve sustainability outcomes. The consultancy works across various sectors, helping organisations to streamline processes, manage resources effectively, and implement change successfully.

The white paper is particularly relevant for waste management companies working with or seeking to partner with universities as it provides valuable insights into the specific needs and challenges of these institutions, enabling waste management providers to develop more effective and tailored solutions.

This could include enhanced recycling programs, innovative waste reduction strategies, and data-driven reporting to track progress against sustainability targets.

“We welcome colleagues in the waste and resources sector to download the white paper and consider the opportunities for collaboration and innovation within the Higher Education sector,” adds Danielle. “By working together, we can help universities to not only meet their sustainability goals but to become leaders in environmental stewardship.”

Vision Techniques | Vision Techniques hop into Easter by donating to a children’s hospice

Commercial vehicle safety and security specialists, Vision Techniques, hopped into Easter by caring for their local community.

Derian House Children’s Hospice is located just 20 minutes from the Vision Techniques head office and for Easter the team wanted to support children by donating Easter eggs and lots of fun crafts.

Derian House provides palliative care and respite for 400 babies, children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions across the whole of Lancashire, South Cumbria and North Manchester.

And to say thanks for the work they do, Vision Techniques wanted to give back and provide something to the children to make them smile.

Dave Smith, Managing Director at Vision Techniques said: “Looking after our local community is really important to us and we are always looking for ways to give back and support charities.

“We chose to donate Easter Eggs and crafts to Derian House because they provide amazing support and care to children across Lancashire. Happy Easter to everyone at Derian House.”

Ellie Smith, Community Fundraiser at Derian House said: “Thank you so much for your very kind support and donation, Vision Techniques. Without it we simply would not be able to provide our services to children and families across the North West of England.”

Vision Techniques are the innovative driving force in vehicle safety and security systems, protecting not only vehicles but also the lives of employees, the public and the environments they operate in.

Loved by some of the largest fleets in the UK, Vision Techniques’ products are influencing and changing safety and security standards across industries daily.

EPIC Media | EPIC Media celebrates triple award recognition for standout vehicle graphics

Kent-based vehicle graphics specialists, EPIC Media are celebrating a remarkable run of success on the awards circuit – taking home accolades from three industry-recognised bodies in the space of just four months.

The company, which provides bold, bespoke wraps and quick-change graphics for fleets across the UK, has gained national recognition for its creative impact and technical excellence – especially within the waste management and fleet sectors.

At the Southern Enterprise Awards 2024, EPIC Media was crowned Best Commercial Vehicle Graphics & Signage Company 2024 – South East, reflecting its commitment to innovation, customer service and sector leadership. The award acknowledged the team’s outstanding contribution to regional enterprise and sustainable fleet branding solutions.

In February, EPIC Media’s dynamic wrap for POWERTRACK – titled “Pack a Punch” – received Highly Commended in the prestigious Sign Industry Awards 2025, under the Best Vehicle Graphics (Partial or Full) category. Held at the National Conference Centre in Birmingham, the judges praised the boldness and technical delivery of the wrap, which was installed on a Hillend Engineering vehicle, and was designed to demand attention while on the move.

Most recently, the team scooped Bronze in the ‘Fleet Wrap – 5+ Vehicles’ category at the Sign & Wrap Awards 2025, hosted at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole in March. This award recognised EPIC Media’s expertise in scaling their creativity across large commercial fleets without compromising on impact or quality, working on the project alongside FCC Environmental and London Borough of Waltham Forest.

Kevin Murton, Founder and now Senior Business Advisor at EPIC Media, said: “This recognition means a huge amount to our whole team. We’ve always believed in pushing creative boundaries while delivering practical solutions for our fleet and waste sector clients. These awards validate that approach – and it’s especially rewarding to be recognised across such a variety of categories.

EPIC Media’s distinctive quick-change graphics system continues to be a popular solution for local authorities and waste management companies looking for flexible, high-visibility campaigns. With rising pressure to boost public engagement and demonstrate environmental action, vehicle branding is playing a bigger role than ever in fleet communications.

The company now looks ahead to further innovations in fleet wrapping and messaging – helping customers make every mile count.

Keenan Recycling | Keenan Recycling powers ahead with 100% biomethane food waste trucks

Keenan Recycling is hitting the road with a game-changing new fleet of 100% biomethane-powered food waste collection trucks, designed to revolutionise how food waste is collected and transported in the UK.

As the nation’s largest food waste collector, Keenan is now taking a major step forward in cutting carbon emissions across its operations while offering sustainable, future-ready solutions to commercial businesses nationwide.

Clean trucks, clear conscience

These new trucks run entirely on biomethane, a renewable fuel produced through the anaerobic digestion of food waste itself. That means the very waste Keenan collects is now helping fuel the next day’s collections – a truly circular solution.

Running on biomethane results in up to a 98% reduction in carbon emissions compared to standard diesel trucks. This dramatically lowers the environmental impact of every journey, making Keenan’s food waste collections not just compliant, but climate-positive.

Why biomethane matters

Unlike fossil fuels, biomethane is produced from organic waste materials, specifically the food waste that Keenan collects. This fuel source is cleaner, renewable, and emits significantly fewer pollutants. By transitioning to biomethane-powered vehicles, Keenan is actively contributing to:

• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• Improving air quality in local communities
• Supporting a closed-loop sustainability model

It’s a perfect example of waste being transformed into a valuable resource.

Everyday impact on the road

With this new fleet now rolling out across key regions, Keenan’s commercial customers including restaurants, hotels, schools, offices, and manufacturers are directly benefiting from more sustainable service.

Each bin collected by these trucks avoids landfill, prevents methane emissions from decomposing food, and supports renewable energy generation. Even the collection itself is powered by the very solution it helps create – a rare harmony of efficiency and impact.

From plate to power – a circular success

Here’s how the loop works:

1. Food waste is collected from businesses by Keenan’s biomethane trucks.
2. The waste is processed at anaerobic digestion (AD) plants.
3. The AD process breaks down organic matter to create biogas (biomethane) and biofertiliser.
4. Biomethane fuels the truck fleet, and the biofertiliser goes back to farms.
5. The cycle repeats. Greener, cleaner, and smarter each time.

Leading by example

Keenan Recycling is not only innovating with green transport, it’s reshaping expectations for the waste management industry. With its fleet of 100% biomethane trucks now serving UK businesses, Keenan is proving that environmental responsibility and operational excellence can go hand in hand.

As new environmental regulations in force across the UK, Keenan is already ahead of the curve, helping businesses meet compliance standards while reducing their own carbon footprint through every collection.

Your waste, our responsibility

Keenan’s biomethane-powered trucks are more than just a technological upgrade. They’re a bold step toward Net Zero by 2030, and a commitment to delivering commercial waste services that work for the planet as well as your business.

From cafes and caterers to universities and NHS trusts, if you’re producing food waste, Keenan now collects it with a significantly smaller carbon footprint.

WasteRecruit | Working with AI in Waste Management

Advancement? Innovation? Both are needed in waste management, but can AI deliver on that, or will it require something more?

Waste management has a messy mandate and growth problem. Despite increased processing capacity, more advanced sorting and recycling, and waste management reforms, it still can’t keep up to the growing volumes of waste being produced.

Defra statistics indicate that the UK generated 191, 2 million tonnes of waste in 2020. More recent figures aren’t yet available, but indications are that volumes have continued to increase because consumer behaviour is not changing.

The waste management sector is under pressure to become more effective and more efficient. In other industries the default has been to turn to AI to achieve this. Can it work in waste management?

AI promises advanced capabilities, accelerated processing speed for far greater volumes, and greater accuracy with specific tasks. Waste management is rapidly evolving. Can AI help the sector make inroads in dealing with the growing waste problem, and how open is the waste workforce to working with AI?

Harnessing the AI advantage requires human skill

Growing volumes of waste and increased complexity in processing remain major challenges for waste management. Volume and complexity – AI thrives on it, and this is where it can deliver an advantage.

But AI is not a silver bullet and it comes at a major cost. This is why human skill, insight, and waste management knowledge remain a key enabler when looking to implement AI technologies.

Economic realities require a return on tech investments and the waste volumes certainly aren’t going to pause while use cases and AI applications are fine tuned. The best way to fast-track progress is to combine AI capabilities with human skill.

Currently AI is being used in analysing loads, sorting materials and identifying contamination. AI’s scanning and ability to identify specific materials is making the sorting process far more efficient.

Despite this, a major challenge remains: the spectrum of different materials combined in a single type of packaging is vast. This reduces recyclability and efficiency of the recycling process, but it also provides something valuable – data.

Having the data on the volume of items rejected or excluded from the recycling process helps build the case for demanding more uniform materials to be used by producers. It can be used to inform policies such as EPR and DRS because it places a value on the materials being processed.

AI excels at doing the complex tasks of sorting and optimising, but in waste management applications, humans are often better at connecting this to solutions. While AI has massive capabilities to solve problems, it doesn’t always understand what’s at the heart of them. AI can answer what a material is and how to sort it, but it doesn’t understand why it would be better for it to be a single polymer.

Will adopting AI advance waste management?

Most industry experts will agree that improving waste management requires a multi-pronged approach: Become more effective at collecting waste. Become more efficient at processing it. Get better at tracking materials through their life cycle. But also find ways to influence broader change in commerce and industry.

In each of these processes there are opportunities for automation, powered by AI. Already collection vehicles are optimising their routes using AI. In transfer stations, AI is being used to scan loads, optimise processing to increase the quality and volume of outputs.

What’s next? That’s really up to those working in the industry. By increasing understanding of AI applications and capabilities, even pitfalls, it’s possible to advance how the waste management industry operates – if people are open to it.

Human insight, awareness and ingenuity are what’s driving innovation in waste management, and in many cases, AI is supporting the work being done. Either by helping optimise processes or by providing the data needed for advancement.

In waste management AI isn’t likely to make human skills obsolete, rather it’s an opportunity to expand on how to apply these skills in different situations. Harnessing AI applications has the potential to accelerate the change and progress that the waste management sector needs. It’s going to take human skill to drive progress in the right direction.

Greyparrot | New data reveals a major food-grade polypropylene opportunity for recycling facilities

AI waste analytics leader Greyparrot has released new data that reveals the potential scale and value of food-grade polypropylene (PP) recycling.

The research, published in a new report from Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy, was conducted at four major plastics recovery facilities (PRFs) across the USA. It uncovers a massive supply of high-value, food-grade PP, with implications for both recyclers and brands facing recycled content mandates.

How an abundant supply of food-grade plastic was uncovered

The “What’s in a Bale” report (available here) marks the largest-ever effort to measure the amount of food-grade PP in the recycling stream, doubling as a test of AI’s plastic recognition capabilities at scale.

“This study proves how much value we can uncover when we apply AI to complex waste streams,” said Greyparrot COO Gaspard Duthilleul. “In just three

months, Greyparrot Analyzer units detected 45 million objects — a task that would have taken human teams around four years. In the process we’ve revealed a huge amount of material that brands could be using to meet their recycled content targets.”

Key findings from a landmark polypropylene study

Out of 45 million data points and a detailed comparison between manual and automated recognition, the report’s authors distil three major takeaways for recyclers:

1.   There is an abundant supply of food-grade PP in waste streams

Between 75-85% of detected PP was white or clear, and the vast majority of that higher-value material was foodservice packaging. Those numbers represent an immense amount of food-grade material that could be recycled.

2.   AI remains as accurate as manual sampling at scale

Greyparrot’s system reliably identified and categorised PP items by colour, object type and food-grade status. Facility staff compared the AI’s records to 30,000 manually-sampled objects, and found that the data was a close match.

3.   Real-time data enhances sorting performance

One of the PRFs in the study used the Analyzer system to record a 13% increase in sorted PP quality after a new sorter was installed — suggesting that waste intelligence systems can also be used to fine tune facility performance and make the business case for infrastructure upgrades.

“The ability to distinguish food-grade materials in real time opens the door to a steadier stream of recycled food-grade PP,” said Duthilleul.

“Previously-overlooked materials are now visible, bringing a circular PP value chain into focus.”

Bolstering PP supply to meet growing demand

Recycled content mandates and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies are accelerating the need for high-quality recycled materials across North America, but also in the UK. That is especially true for food-grade applications, where regulators demand higher purity than other recycled materials.

Greyparrot’s team say the report outlines a major opportunity for the recyclers supplying that material — but also for the brands that will be demanding more of it.

“We’re proud to collaborate with Closed Loop Partners to deliver data that moves the entire value chain forward,” said Duthilleul. “The insight we gained into the foodservice packaging at PRFs makes it clear that brands are a critical stakeholder in the plastics value chain — and can play a direct role in bolstering future recycled PP supply.”

To help packaging producers interpret the millions of data points collected for this study, the AI developer has released a companion article detailing three actionable takeaways for brands on their website. Read it here.

The post News in brief | CIWM Commercial Partner Updates 25 April appeared first on Circular Online.

A new report released by Zero Waste Europe argues that the EU’s current policies are ‘insufficient’ to reduce the absolute levels of resource use.

Ahead of the introduction of the Circular Economy Act, the report states that current policy measures are a blind spot that threatens the EU’s strategic autonomy.

The report presents three alternatives, which include expanding the scope of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to cover downstream products and organic chemicals.

In the long term, it also recommends pricing a wider set of pollutants and introducing border tax adjustments to reflect their true environmental impacts abroad.

Finally, it also calls for a transition toward a tax-based scheme targeting resource use and pollution as a long-term strategy to shift the burden away from labour-based taxation.

These changes are essential to guide Europe towards greater resource resilience and environmental integrity.

The report suggests investing the additional revenues these measures would generate into projects that reduce the carbon intensity of production and the consumption of primary resources via an extended EU Innovation Fund.

To support this transition, the report urges the EU to revise the ‘Circular Material Use Rate’ (CMUR) as an indicator of circularity.

Commenting on the report, Theresa Mörsen, Waste & Resources Policy Officer, said: “These changes are essential to guide Europe towards greater resource resilience and environmental integrity.

“Ultimately, we need to remember that a strategic use of materials is directly linked to the EU’s long-term competitiveness and intergenerational fairness, ensuring future generations can live well within planetary boundaries. Our  recommendations provide the bedrock for this to happen.”

Beyond economic instruments, the report argues for targeted policy support to boost the uptake of high-quality recycling and increase the availability of secondary materials.

It also suggests that the EU explore strategic cooperation with third countries to strengthen waste management systems abroad to secure access to critical raw materials.

The post EU’s current policies are ‘insufficient’ to reduce resource use appeared first on Circular Online.

The Renew Community Fund has made up to £220,000 available for projects that support residents in Greater Manchester to repair items and reduce household waste.

Grants of up to £20,000 are on offer for projects across Greater Manchester from the Renew Community Fund, which was previously known as the Recycle for Greater Manchester Community Fund.

In the last four years, the Recycle for Greater Manchester Community Fund has supported 89 projects with £880,000 in funding.

Two different award categories for the fund are available. These are small grants between £2,000 and £10,000, with a total of £180,000 available, and large grants between £10,000 and £20,000, with a total of £40,000 available.

Cllr Tom Ross, Greater Manchester lead for Waste and Recycling, said: “The Renew Community Fund aims to increase the number of projects providing repair and sharing services to make it easier to get your items repaired or to buy something second hand.”

The Renew Community Fund aims to increase the number of projects providing repair and sharing services…

Projects that have been awarded funding in previous years include the Manchester Library of Things in Levenshulme, where residents can borrow power tools and household equipment rather than buy their own.

Other projects set up include bike repair, laptop repair, repair cafés, and school uniform redistribution services, which enable families to share school uniforms with families in need.

The fund is available to groups in Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford. It is not available to groups from Wigan as they operate a separate waste disposal arrangement.

All community, voluntary and faith groups, schools, colleges, universities, charities and other non-profit organisations are eligible to apply.

The post Renew Community Fund relaunches with up to £220,000 available appeared first on Circular Online.

Craig Anderson, CEO of Reuse Network, explains how he believes the Environment Agency’s current regulations around reusable items are blocking environmental progress.

As the UK Government looks to advance its circular economy ambitions, a new roadmap by Reuse Network is urging policymakers to recognise a vital but under-recognised sector: the nation’s reuse charities.

In a recent speech, Environment Secretary Steve Reed highlighted how we throw away £2.5 billion in usable furniture every year. For Reuse Network and its charity members, this figure highlights an urgent opportunity.

We must take action to divert this furniture to low-income households that desperately need a bed to sleep on, a table to eat at, and a sofa to sit on.

Removing barriers to reuse

Reuse Network’s charity members exist to alleviate poverty across the UK by donating or selling essential household goods to people in need at a very low cost.

They also offer meaningful employment opportunities and support services to marginalised groups.

Additionally, they tackle climate change by reusing items that would otherwise end up in waste. These items include household furniture, electrical appliances, paint, baby equipment, and much more.

Reuse Network is attempting to clear the many barriers currently prohibiting the reuse charity sector from operating at full potential and supporting the government’s circular economy goals.

Without policy reform and investment, the sector will struggle to continue delivering its crucial environmental and social benefits. Burdensome and flawed hazardous waste requirements stifle and prevent reuse.

Current waste regulations wrongly categorise valuable, reusable items, and this approach from the Environment Agency is blocking environmental progress and stopping producer and retailer circular economy solutions and ambitions in their tracks.

A key concern is the disparity in the application of permits required to handle different products and permits for sites collecting or producing different waste streams.

Full waste management permits are currently required to handle whole intact items of upholstered furniture and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) containing ‘potential’ Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

These obligations apply even when goods are temporarily stored or assessed for reuse. Meanwhile, other waste streams, such as packaging or large WEEE, often bypass the need for such permits.

This inconsistency illustrates a failure to reflect the actual environmental risk or potential value of the many second-hand goods in question and prevents reuse charities from collecting, storing, and redistributing these items efficiently and safely.

Reuse is not historically a waste-inspired issue. There is a higher economic and social value to reuse, and second-hand is most often a second thought in waste policy. We need a different approach to waste and recycling versus product (and waste) for reuse.

The Reuse Roadmap

Reuse is rooted in social impact and circular economy values that are poorly reflected in current waste policy frameworks.

To help the government align its forthcoming Circular Economy Strategy with the needs of the reuse sector, Reuse Network has launched The Reuse Roadmap.

The roadmap seeks to gain more support for the sector through engagement on three key principles:

• Build capacity: Secure investment in facilities and resources, re-establish reuse credits, develop certification for professional reusers, and establish regional reuse hubs.
• Drive awareness: Raise the profile of reuse through coordinated awareness efforts and engagement with the wider sector tackling poverty, inequality, and climate change.
• Respond to crisis: Respond to the cost-of-living crisis by developing cross-sector partnerships that can help meet rising demand for affordable household items, particularly among vulnerable groups, while reducing climate change.

Securing the future of reuse

Reuse Network’s members diverted more than 2 million items from landfill last year, but this figure has dropped by 1.5 million since pre-pandemic levels.

The reasons are clear: Economic uncertainty has slowed donations, operational costs have surged, and inadequate support has forced some charities to scale back or close their doors for good.

As these reuse organisations disappear, so too do the pathways for people to access affordable goods, donate unwanted items, and participate in the circular economy at a local level.

Beyond environmental impact, reuse contributes to public value through job creation, providing mental health support services, addressing barriers to employment, and supporting people out of homelessness.

These outcomes, while widely felt, remain undervalued in traditional policy and funding models.

Despite the sector’s clear alignment with government goals around economic growth, the circular economy and social justice, the lack of visibility of these broader impacts hinders the sector’s ability to secure consistent government support and funding.

In addition to the current poverty alleviation and environmental impacts reported, the social value of reuse needs to be monetised and the savings to the public purse calculated.

We must reduce unnecessary burdens on reuse activities, support the expansion of the reuse sector’s operations, and recognise and champion the vast extent of social and economic value gained through reuse.

The post How the Environment Agency is hampering progress on reuse appeared first on Circular Online.