Single-use plastics are everywhere, with most of us regularly relying on the convenience of products such as plastic bags, straws, utensils, takeaway coffee cups, food packaging and water bottles. Clarissa Morawski But it’s also becoming clear we have made, used and disposed of too many. According to one recent academic analysis, only 9 percent of […]
EU Policy
In Our Opinion: Why Deposits Make Sense for Retailers
Note: This article was originally featured on Resource Recycling’s website and published on September 11, 2018. To view the original article, click here. There’s no denying it; the world is experiencing a plastic waste crisis and it’s growing – but so is public awareness and action. Clarissa Morawski In June 2018, as part of its […]
In My Opinion: A Business Case for Deposit Return
In an effort to reduce litter and increase recycling, more and more jurisdictions are turning to deposit return systems for the recovery of beverage containers. These systems require consumers to pay a small deposit at the point of purchase, and they get the deposit back when they return the empty container for recycling. Despite the […]
EU plans big plastics changes
In the latest issue of Resource Recycling, Clarissa Morawski provides a short summary of some of the key legislative amendments agreed upon by the European Parliament, Council and European Commission with regards to the Circular Economy Package, a set of laws and actions designed to guarantee a more resource-efficient future for Europe. Read the article here: https://www.cmconsultinginc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Dispatches-from-Europe-EU-plans-big-plastics-changes-Plastics-Recycling-Update.pdf
Dispatches from Europe: The uncertain future of waste-to-energy
21 February 2017 – Anyone engaged in waste-reduction policy has surely witnessed the intense debate that has been raging for decades around the notion of burning municipal solid waste to create power. Active lobby groups around the world regularly campaign for additional incineration capacity, citing the importance of reducing waste to landfill and finding ways […]
Environmental Groups Criticize German Government for Reducing the EU Recycling Quotas
Note: The following press release was issued jointly by The Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU), Friends of the Earth Germany (BUND), Environmental Action Germany (DUH), and the umbrella organization German League for Nature, Animal and Environment Protection (DNR). To see the original press release, click here. Joint Press Release Environmental organisations criticise the German government for […]
Dispatches from Europe: Getting tough on food waste
19 September 2016 – Food waste has become an increasingly hot topic in recent months and for good reason. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), about one-third of all food produced in the world for human consumption – approximately 1.3 billion metric tons – ends up as waste each year. In […]
Dispatches from Europe: Is Brexit bad news for an evolving industry?
27 July 2016 – Last month’s decision by U.K. voters to withdraw from the European Union has generated a lot of questions over the potential impact on jobs, the economy and trade within the U.K. But for those in the U.K. waste management sector, the greatest concern is the potential impact of Brexit on both national and […]
Dispatches from Europe: Why Container Deposit Systems are Gaining Ground
29 June 2016 – Since being introduced to the market, single-use beverage containers have caused much debate – both in the beverage industry and among politicians and the public. A simple question sits at the center of the arguing: What’s the most efficient way to collect beverage containers for high-quality recycling? Though there are many who continue to […]
Dispatches from Europe: A Rush of Regulations on Plastic Bags
2 June 2016 – An iconic symbol of our linear, throwaway economy, single-use plastic bags are a major source of environmental pollution, especially in marine environments where animals are often injured or killed after becoming entangled or ingesting plastic bags mistaken for food. According to the European Commission, an estimated 100 billion plastic carrier bags […]
