Most people do not know that the UK exports over 10 million tonnes of waste annually, including hard-to-recycle plastics, metal scraps, refuel-derived fuels, electronic waste, etc. That is about 5% of all the waste generated in the UK by weight! While this sounds like we’re just passing on a problem elsewhere (which is sometimes the ..read more

Polystyrene is everywhere. Single-use cutlery, CD cases, inside your walls as insulation, you name it. Yet only 1-2% of it is recycled in the UK, with the vast majority ending in landfills or incinerated. Then, a small faction always escapes proper disposal and enters soils and waterways, wreaking environmental havoc. This includes leaching toxic chemicals ..read more

Can I release my boat’s sewage into the Ocean? Can I toss my dinner leftovers from my canal boat kitchenette into the canal? Can I avoid segregating the waste generated on my passenger cruise? Surprisingly, the answer isn’t always no. This article covers all the shades of waste generated in any vessel and what you ..read more

The world of metal recycling is fascinating. Not only are there over 20 metals typically found in waste, but this comes from a wide range of unrelated sectors, including marine and aerospace scrap, electronics and batteries, construction waste and aluminium drinks cans. It’s so intricately linked to technology and infrastructure that it keeps growing and ..read more

The ‘digital transformation’ is revolutionising how we live and work, leading to significant changes in waste generation and management. For example, businesses are simultaneously generating less waste by going paperless yet producing unprecedented volumes of electronic waste. In this article, we explain how these technological changes affect each relevant waste stream and ultimately try to ..read more

The UK government has clear targets to increase recycling and reduce landfilling, yet there has been limited discussion regarding incinerators. While some argue that they are key to reducing landfill waste, avoiding emissions and generating energy, others point out – often more robustly- that they do more harm than good. Incinerators increase emissions and ultimately ..read more

Industrial-scale coffee cup recycling doesn’t exist. Over 99% of the 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups used every year in the UK will end up landfilled or incinerated. The yearly output of coffee cup waste is literally of Titanic proportions, yet the government remains resolute it can completely eliminate their use (or at least provide a ..read more

Commercial waste recycling is on the rise, yet the industry is still far from reaching its ultimate goal where all waste besides the unavoidable is prevented, minimised or, in the worst case, recycled into a circular economy. One challenge lies in businesses not segregating their waste properly. Another lie in recycling technologies themselves: some methods ..read more

For us, it’s clear that advancements in commercial recycling technology are what will make the difference in reaching zero waste as soon as possible. Up-and-coming developments are promising, but how does it compare with what we currently have for each specific recyclable stream? In this article, we give an overview of how recycling works for ..read more

Businesses often become overwhelmed upon hearing about the landfill tax, fearing the addition of another tax or levy they must pay. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The landfill tax is paid as part of your commercial waste collection costs, meaning you will pay less if you can prevent, reduce and recycle your ..read more