News Roundup Scotland’s £1.3 Billion Food Waste Problem A new Zero Waste Scotland report reveals households are binning £1.3 billion worth of food every year — that’s around £234 per person, or nearly £100 a month for the average family. Shockingly, 73% of that waste was edible. Overcooking, poor planning, and not using food in …
Rubbish Talk Episode 78: Recycling Collection Systems Read More »
The management of solid waste in the United Kingdom has undergone profound changes over the past two centuries, reflecting broader shifts in urbanisation, public health, technology, and environmental awareness. What began as rudimentary disposal methods has evolved into a highly regulated, multi-stream collection system designed to minimise environmental impact and promote resource recovery. In …
From Dustmen to Wheelie Bins: The Evolution of Household Waste Management in the UK Read More »
News Roundup Wet Wipe Island on the Thames A 180-tonne “island” of congealed wet wipes has formed along a 250m stretch of the Thames near Hammersmith Bridge — roughly the size of two tennis courts and up to a metre high. Thames Water is bringing in an 8-ton excavator to remove it, but Alasdair …
Rubbish Talk Episode 77: Waste Collection Methods Read More »
News Roundup 🗞️ Fire at S Norton’s Glasgow East Facility Another week, another fire — this time at S Norton’s Glasgow East site. Six fire appliances and a high-reach vehicle were called out on 10 September, though thankfully no one was injured. Alasdair points out that around four refuse collection vehicles catch fire every …
Rubbish Talk Episode 76: Landfill – The Last Resort? Read More »
This week on the Rubbish Talk Podcast we welcome a special guest – Andy Rees OBE, Head of Waste Strategy at the Welsh Government – for a fascinating conversation about how Wales became a global leader in recycling and what the rest of the UK can learn from their approach. Andy’s career spans …
Rubbish Talk Episode 75: Andy Rees OBE, Head of Waste Strategy at the Welsh Government Read More »
News Roundup 🗞️ EU Plastics Recycling Industry Warns of Imminent Collapse The European plastics recycling sector is in crisis. Falling demand, rising costs, and low-priced imports are pushing facilities to the brink. Industry leaders warn that by the end of 2025, Europe could lose at least 1 million tonnes of recycling capacity. Alasdair links …
Rubbish Talk Episode 74: Your Waste, Your Responsibility Read More »
News Roundup 📰 KKR Set to Sell Viridor for £7bn Private equity firm KKR is preparing to sell UK-based recycling and waste management giant Viridor, just five years after acquiring it for £4.2bn. With a potential sale price of around £7bn, the deal reflects the ongoing high value of waste infrastructure — despite …
Rubbish Talk Episode 73: Recover the Energy of Waste Produced Read More »
A new initiative has been announced, offering a £45,000 fund to support paper cup recycling projects across the UK. The scheme, backed by major high street brands including Costa Coffee, McDonald’s, Pret a Manger, Caffè Nero, Lavazza Professional, Greggs and Burger King, aims to encourage innovative approaches to tackling the country’s single-use cup problem. …
Paper Cup Recycling Fund: Token Gesture or Genuine Solution? Read More »
News Roundup Scotland’s Recycling Reality Check The Scottish Government has released a new report on waste reprocessing infrastructure, outlining how 15 key material streams are managed. While food waste and some streams are recycled locally, much of Scotland’s “recycling” is simply bulked up and sent elsewhere. Alasdair highlights the need for clearer stats that …
Rubbish Talk Episode 72: Recycle The Waste You Produce Read More »
An opinion piece by John Crawford, Life Member CIWM FOR most council cleansing officers, the end of the summer holidays means reorganising weekday workloads to cope with clearing up the additional litter and mess left at secondary school gates after lunch breaks. Despite working in the business for decades I’d never been able to …
