Posts Tagged ‘George Kiernan’

Waste crime in Kidlington left taxpayers with a £6m clean-up bill and shows why better enforcement, traceability and recycling systems matter UK-wide.

The UK ETS expansion into waste incineration is the most consequential repricing of disposal economics this country has seen in a generation. On 21 July 2025, the UK ETS Authority published its interim response setting out how energy-from-waste and waste incineration facilities will be brought into the scheme. A voluntary monitoring, reporting and verification period…

Birmingham Bin Strike Update And Birmingham Bin Strike Dates The Birmingham bin strike has moved from a localised industrial dispute to a prolonged stress test for the UK waste system. What began as a Birmingham bin workers strike centred on the removal of Waste Recycling and Collection Officer roles has now stretched beyond twelve months.…

Kidlington Illegal Waste Site Clearance Delayed The 20,000-tonne illegal waste site near the River Cherwell in Kidlington was due to move into full clearance at the end of February. Instead, heavy rainfall has pushed the timetable back. Ground conditions are unstable. Heavy plant cannot safely access the site. What should have marked the beginning of…

The UK has never had a recycling problem in the narrow sense of collection. It has had a processing problem. For years we have been good at gathering material and far less consistent at turning it back into feedstock that manufacturers can actually use. That gap has been most obvious in plastics, where the difference…

The arrival of base fees under the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for packaging signals a quiet but consequential shift in how we think about — and pay for — the materials we place on the market. After years of policy development, consultation, and modelling, PackUK has now published the figures that will anchor…

In October 2027, the United Kingdom will formally introduce a national Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers – a system long discussed, much debated, and now finally gaining administrative structure with the appointment of the UK Deposit Management Organisation (UK DMO) as its official operator. For environmental advocates, regulators, and the recycling sector, this…

A Policy in Crisis The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) was introduced with the intention of enhancing recycling rates and reducing waste in Scotland. The Scottish Government initially positioned the initiative as a crucial step towards sustainability. However, its abrupt collapse created financial uncertainty and industry-wide repercussions. Biffa, a key logistics partner in the planned scheme,…

The Scottish Government has recently approved a landmark tyre recycling facility in Linwood, Renfrewshire, heralding a new chapter in the country’s transition towards a circular economy. Operated by Glasgow-based SSH Recycling, this pioneering facility is the first of its kind in the United Kingdom, offering a sustainable solution to a significant environmental challenge: waste tyres.…

Plastic Pollution Treaty As the world grapples with the environmental consequences of plastic waste, the push for a global plastics pollution treaty has never been more urgent. On 6 November, at an event hosted at Buckingham Palace and co-chaired by the Secretary of State Steve Reed and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, leaders across industries, government,…