The Scottish Government has published a draft strategy outlining plans to transition the country towards a circular economy, as part of wider efforts to tackle climate change and reduce environmental impact.

The strategy, published for consultation, sets out a long-term vision for Scotland to become a “net zero and nature positive nation” by 2045, supported by a significant shift away from a traditional “take, make and dispose” economic model.

Move away from linear economy

At the core of the strategy is a commitment to keeping products and materials in use for as long as possible, reducing reliance on virgin resources and minimising waste.

The Scottish Government argues that current patterns of production and consumption are a major driver of environmental harm, with the majority of Scotland’s carbon footprint linked to goods and services that are manufactured, used and discarded.

The circular economy model aims to address this by promoting reuse, repair and recycling, while supporting more sustainable consumption patterns.

Legislative framework and targets

The strategy has been developed under the Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024, which requires ministers to publish a circular economy strategy and set targets to measure progress.

Under the Act, the strategy will be updated at least every five years, with a monitoring framework and indicators intended to track progress and inform future targets from 2027 onwards.

Key policy areas

The draft strategy identifies a range of policy mechanisms intended to drive systemic change across the economy. These include:

• business support and innovation
• behaviour change initiatives
• public procurement reforms
• skills and education development
• improved data and monitoring systems
• place-based approaches to implementation

Ministers say action across multiple policy areas will be required to reshape how goods are produced, used and disposed of.

Sector focus and economic impact

The strategy highlights priority sectors where circular approaches could deliver the greatest impact, including construction, energy infrastructure, textiles and food.

Measures under consideration include increasing reuse of construction materials, promoting repair and reuse models, and reducing food waste.

The Scottish Government says the transition could support economic growth by improving resource efficiency, reducing costs and creating new business opportunities, while also contributing to environmental goals.

Social considerations

The strategy also considers potential impacts on households and communities, including those on low incomes and in rural areas.

It notes that changes in pricing and access to goods may arise as circular economy measures are introduced, and that these impacts will need to be assessed as policies are developed.

Consultation and next steps

The draft strategy was published for consultation, with responses invited from businesses, public bodies and communities. The consultation closed in January 2026, with a final strategy expected to be published later in the year.

Overall, the strategy sets out a framework for transforming Scotland’s economy over the coming decades, with a focus on reducing waste, improving resource use and aligning economic activity with environmental limits.

The post Scotland sets out long-term plan to shift to circular economy appeared first on Circular Online.

News updates written by CIWM’s commercial partners.

CRJ Services | New Partnership Announcement: Exclusive UK and Ireland Dealership Secured with Tana

Our exclusive partnership with TANA strengthens our product and service offering, giving you access to market-leading waste processing equipment backed by CRJ’s full lifecycle support.

CRJ is pleased to be announced as the exclusive dealer for the full range of TANA recycling machinery for the UK and Ireland. Further expanding their ability to deliver tailored shredding solutions across a wide range of waste and recycling applications.

TANA is internationally recognised for designing and manufacturing robust, intelligent machinery and digital solutions such as TanaConnect^(R) for waste management operations. Its product range includes shredders, landfill compactors and screening solutions, developed to maximise efficiency, improve material recovery and optimise waste processing across a wide variety of applications.

“We are pleased to partner with CRJ who have built a strong reputation in the waste and recycling sector through their technical expertise and extensive service capabilities. We look forward to working together to bringing Tana’s intelligent waste processing solutions to more operators across the region,” Jari Mannala, CEO, Tana Oy, says.

A key addition to CRJ’s offering is the TANA Shark and TANA Hammerhead, both single-shaft shredders, designed to produce a finer output size, making them particularly well suited to applications where material specification requirements are critical.

This new addition complements CRJ Services’ established range of HAAS Tyron twinshaft slow speed shredders, enabling the business to support a broader variety of waste streams and processing objectives.

The TANA range of single-shaft shredders is ideally suited to waste streams that require finer size reduction and greater control over output, including refuse-derived fuel (RDF), solid recovered fuel (SRF), municipal solid waste (MSW), tyres, wood waste, pallets, production waste, plastics, textiles, and pre-processed mixed waste.

This makes the TANA Shark and TANA Hammerhead particularly effective as secondary shredders, or in applications where consistent particle size is essential for fuel production, sorting, or further separation.

“In many waste processing applications, achieving the right particle size is critical,” adds Rob Symons, CRJ Director. “The TANA Shark and TANA Hammerhead are designed to give operators greater control over output while maintaining the durability and reliability required for demanding waste streams.”

By offering both single-shaft and twin-shaft slow speed shredders, CRJ can now design complete shredding solutions that match the input material and the end goal.

“This dealership strengthens our slow speed shredder offering,” says Andrew Clarkson, CRJ Managing Director. “HAAS and TANA work alongside each other, allowing us to support a much wider range of specified waste output and offer more complete, future-ready processing solutions.”

In addition to shredders, Tana also manufactures a range of landfill compactors and a disc screen, further strengthening CRJ’s ability to support customers with integrated waste processing solutions. These technologies allow for efficient material handling, screening, and volume reduction, helping customers optimise their processing lines and maximise throughput across multiple waste streams.

The addition of TANA to the CRJ portfolio reinforces the company’s position as a solution-led partner to the waste and recycling industry, providing expert guidance, proven machinery, and comprehensive aftersales support across an expanding range of applications.

Valpak | UCL wins ‘Beyond the Bin’ funding bid with proposal for first behavioural systems map focused on cup recycling

The National Cup Recycling Scheme has announced the winner of its ‘Beyond the Bin’ project fund competition.

The Centre for Behaviour Change, based at University College London (UCL), will receive over £44,000 to fund research into the barriers to recycling paper cups in mainstream systems and produce the first behavioural systems map focused specifically on cup recycling.

Hannah Osman, Manager of the National Cup Recycling Scheme, congratulated Dr Lucy Porter and Dr Ayşe Lisa Allison at UCL, saying: “The range and scope of applications show the appetite for developing new systems and approaches to cup recycling.”

“It was a particularly close call between the top four finalists, but UCL’s bid is a worthy winner. The findings can directly inform future infrastructure design, communication strategies, and the goals of the project – to use systems mapping to identify the key behaviours, barriers and enablers in paper cup recycling, to guide future interventions and policy – closely align with our ambitions to prevent cups from ending up in landfill.”

Matt Spencer, Commercial Director and Group Head of Sustainability for Caffe Nero, said: “Tackling the barriers to cup recycling is something we are very proud to support. For many years we have segregated cups for recycling in store, helped fund the Valpak scheme and incentivised our customers to use reusable cups. We know to further improving recycling rates isn’t just about infrastructure, it’s about understanding behaviour across the whole system. We hope that UCL’s work will provide valuable insight to help retailers, policymakers and waste partners design solutions that make recycling easier, clearer and more effective for customers.”

UCL’s project will run for eight months. Key elements include:

• Developing a behavioural systems map showing how actions, barriers, and enablers interact across the cup recycling system.
• Consulting stakeholders across retail, waste, manufacturing, and policy sectors.
• Analysing data using system effects software and the COM-B behaviour model.
• Conducting a rapid literature review to integrate academic and stakeholder insights.
• Producing a detailed case study of an existing intervention, in collaboration with the National Cup Recycling Scheme/Valpak).
• Delivering recommendations.

The project will be led by UCL’s world-renowned Centre for Behaviour Change, which provides tried and tested behavioural science expertise. It will capture the complexity of cup recycling across multiple sectors and will include consultation across public, private, and academic partners.

The Beyond the Bin submissions covered research and evidence building, recycling and infrastructure improvements, and awareness campaigns. RECOUP, Recorra and Immersive Industry Experiences were close runners-up.

RECOUP proposed research into the barriers to recycling paper cups in mainstream systems, resulting in the technical, operational and design guidance to integrate paper cups into national recycling systems. Recorra’s infrastructure project planned to introduce a dual reuse and recycling cup system across the Broadgate Estate in the City of London. Finally Immersive Industry Experiences offered a creative awareness campaign that uses live-action immersive storytelling inspiring young people by combining education, technology, and art to shift behaviours and increase cup recycling in public spaces.

The National Cup Recycling Scheme is administered by Valpak by Reconomy. It is the UK’s largest paper cup recycling scheme. Funded by participating brands – Costa Coffee, McDonald’s, Pret a Manger, Caffè Nero, Lavazza Professional, Greggs and Burger King – it brings major retailers, waste management companies and UK paper mills together to increase the number of paper cups collected and recycled in the UK.

Since the launch of the scheme, 227 million cups have been recycled into high quality products such as packaging, stationery and even Remembrance Day poppies.

EPIC Media | As Simpler Recycling Goes Live, Clear Street-Level Communication Is Now Critical

With Simpler Recycling reforms now coming into effect across England, vehicle graphics specialist EPIC Media is urging local authorities and waste operators to prioritise visible, consistent public messaging as food waste collections expand.

The reforms, led by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, introduce greater consistency in recycling collections, including mandatory weekly food waste services for most households.

While operational preparations have been underway for some time, recent national reporting from BBC News highlighted that almost one in four councils were not on track to introduce weekly food waste collections by the original deadline, with more than 70 authorities expected to roll out services later in 2026.

For EPIC Media, the conversation must now move beyond policy to public behaviour. Service change on this scale is not just operational, it is behavioural. Residents need clarity.

When collection rules vary or messaging is unclear, contamination increases and participation drops. As services evolve, communication has to evolve with them.

Nicola (Nic) Welfare, General Manager at EPIC Media says, “Waste collection vehicles are among the most visible assets local authorities operate, travelling through every neighbourhood on a weekly basis.”

“EPIC Media has already worked with councils and operators across the UK to support first time food waste rollouts, recycling rebrands and service changes through high impact vehicle wraps and adaptable messaging systems.”

Rather than viewing fleet graphics purely as branding, EPIC positions them as an ongoing communications platform. Rapid wrap solutions and changeable graphic systems allow authorities to update messaging in line with phased rollouts, policy adjustments and resident education campaigns.

“With Simpler Recycling, the pressure on councils is very real,” Nic continues. “Clear street level communication can reinforce new food waste services, explain what goes where and build public confidence during a period of change.”

As authorities review fleet procurement, depot capacity and container distribution, EPIC Media is encouraging waste teams and communications departments to align operational planning with visible, consistent messaging.

Beyondly | Compliance and the importance of following regulation change

Global e-commerce is on the rise. In 2025, 5.8bn (that’s billion!) items entered the EU.

Testing of goods coming into the EU (5,772 cosmetics, 2,092 PPE, 3,474 food supplements) found that the majority did not comply with EU rules and product standards. A similar finding from the EU’s Safety Gate rapid alert system for dangerous non-food goods found that cosmetics and toys accounted for over half of reported unsafe products.

The interesting thing is that the countries listed as making up the majority of non-compliant products are the US, China, and the UK. It is therefore more important than ever to know that the goods you are supplying into our largest export partner are compliant.

Despite some post-Brexit divergence, it is worth noting that we are seeing increased alignment with the EU on topics such as Packaging, Batteries, Sanitary & Phytosanitary (SPS) rules, and Carbon Trading; therefore, getting ahead of potential future regulatory changes keeps you on the front foot.

EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations (PPWR)

Due to take effect in the EU from August 2026, the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations (PPWR) outlines EU wide rules on recyclability, reuse, labelling and mandates extended producer responsibility. It will be implemented with a few minor omissions by the Windsor framework in Northern Ireland, and the UK is widely expected to align with the mandatory labelling requirements which are implemented under PPWR from 2028.

Batteries

Due to application in Northern Ireland, the UK Government is currently hosting a series of workshops with industry on adopting the EU Batteries Regulations across the whole of the UK.

Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS)

To reduce costs for importing and exporting with the EU, it was confirmed, on 9 March 2026, that the UK will align with EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) legislation.

This is a slight divergence since Brexit has led to increased checks for food and feed, etc., between the UK and the EU. It has also led to friction between Britain and Northern Ireland.

To reduce costs, speed up supply chains, reduce spoilage, and improve market access for British agri-food exporters, the UK Government has now formally confirmed alignment with a range on EU SPS and agri-food legislation, with the end goal of establishing a new UK-EU SPS Agreement by mid-2027.

EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

On 1 January 2026, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) came into force, charging a CO₂ emissions fees on certain imported goods such as cement, iron, aluminium, and fertilisers.

While the UK was hoping for temporary exemption from this levy while negotiations were underway for alignment, the EU announced before Christmas that Britain, nor any other country, would be exempt. The UK Government has said that this could cost industry around £800m per year.

With the UK’s own CBAM in final stages of consultation and due to come into force from 1 January 2027, although yet to be confirmed, we can hope that alignment and linkage of carbon markets will lead to mutual CBAM exemption on both sides of the Channel, removing a trade barrier for our largest, and closest, trading partner.

Wood Recyclers’ Association | Michael Symons appointed as Service Member Lead on the WRA Board

The Wood Recyclers’ Association (WRA) has announced the appointment of Michael Symons as the new Service Member Lead on its Board.

Michael is Head of Sales at CRJ Services and his appointment was finalised at the WRA’s Annual General Meeting which took place in Greater Manchester yesterday (March 11).

Michael has more than 10 years of experience in the waste and recycling sector and has worked with CRJ Services since 2016. Having grown up in the recycling industry, he has a strong practical understanding of both machinery and the operational demands of the sector.

At CRJ Services, Michael leads the company’s national sales strategy. He has been instrumental in strengthening CRJ’s supplier and customer networks across the wood recycling, biomass and wider waste industry in both the UK and Ireland.

Through this work, Michael has built extensive industry relationships and developed a deep understanding of the operational, commercial and regulatory factors involved in processing waste wood and other recyclable materials.

Michael joins the WRA’s eight other Board Members, including seven elected members and the Executive Director, Julia Turner. Michael replaces Spencer Caldwell, who stepped down after two years in December after moving into a different sector.

Michael said: “I’m delighted to join the WRA Board as Service Member Lead. The wood recycling industry is evolving rapidly, and I’m looking forward to using my experience to support members, champion best practice and contribute to the sector’s continued growth.”

Mark Hayton, Chair of the WRA, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Michael to the Board as our new Service Member Lead.

“Michael brings extensive technical and commercial experience from across the waste and recycling sector, along with a deep understanding of the machinery and operational challenges our members face every day. His insight and strong industry relationships will be a valuable asset to the WRA as we continue to support a safe, innovative and forward‑looking wood recycling sector.”

He added: “A big thank you to Spencer for all the time and energy he devoted to the WRA over the past two years.”

Advetec | Go4Greener switches on XO22 and becomes first to turn nappies into fuel with biotechnology

Derby-based Go4Greener is breaking new ground in sustainable waste management – becoming the first UK waste handler to transform offensive washroom waste – including nappies and sanitary products – into high-quality fuel with biotechnology.

This UK first uses Advetec’s XO22 biotechnology machine to turn offensive washroom waste once destined for landfill into valuable fuel at speed and scale.

Go4Greener took delivery of the Advetec XO22 in September, and after several weeks of testing has now processed its first load of waste.

The XO22 will convert the 4,000 tonnes of washroom waste Go4Greener handles each year into nearly 2,000 tonnes of high-quality alternative fuel, replacing fossil fuels in energy-intensive industries.

Go4Greener’s £1.25m investment in the XO22 is part of a wider commitment to recycle and dispose of waste in the most sustainable ways possible.  The technology will help Go4Greener reduce its carbon footprint, stabilise costs, and move closer to sending zero waste to landfill – in turn benefiting hundreds of commercial customers across the hospitality, retail, commercial, and education sectors.

Samantha Turton, managing director of Go4Greener, said: “Switching on the XO22 is a huge milestone – not just for Go4Greener, but for the entire waste industry. We’re proud to be leading the way in turning one of the hardest waste streams into fuel and reducing waste to landfill in the process. This is groundbreaking technology that brings real environmental benefits for our customers and the industry.”

Lee Knott, Advetec’s chief executive officer, said: “Faced with rising costs, labour shortages, taxes and a lack of infrastructure, the sector is crying out for a practical, scalable solution for washroom waste. Go4Greener’s adoption of the XO22 proves that biotechnology is not just the future – it’s here now. This is a turning point for waste management in the UK, helping waste handlers safeguard their costs and customers.”

Advetec’s XO22 uses naturally occurring biological processes, accelerated with biostimulants, to effectively clean non-recyclable and hard-to-handle waste streams. Through an aerobic rapid digestion process, bacteria break down contaminants, leaving only non-organic matter, which can be further treated and converted into alternative fuel.

This biological innovation replaces the need for chemical or thermal treatment, offering a gentler, more natural yet highly effective solution to one of the industry’s toughest waste challenges.

The process is completed in just 48-72 hours, compared to the traditional 16-week timeframe for aerobic composting. The process also significantly reduces waste mass and volume, thereby cutting costs and lowering associated environmental impact.

Nuclear Waste Services | The sustainable management of radioactive waste

Bringing together the UK’s expertise in radioactive waste management – reducing and recycling waste to save costs while protecting people and the environment

The UK has benefited from nuclear technologies for decades. Powering homes, supporting industry and enabling life‑saving medical and research applications. With those benefits comes a responsibility that Parliament rightly scrutinises: radioactive waste must be managed safely and securely, and in a way that represents value for the public purse over the long term.

That is the core purpose of Nuclear Waste Services (NWS). Created to bring together the UK’s leading radioactive waste management capabilities into a single organisation, NWS supports the safe treatment, transport and disposal of radioactive waste and helps ensure the UK has a credible, permanent “end point” for the most hazardous materials.

NWS – providing solutions

NWS specialises in the management, treatment and disposal of radioactive waste produced by nuclear technologies in the UK. We are part of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) group, the public body responsible for cleaning up the UK’s historical nuclear sites.

Our goal is simple: to ensure all categories of the UK’s radioactive waste are managed safely, securely and sustainably.

We provide practical waste solutions – assessing, packaging, transporting and managing radioactive waste using innovative approaches that prioritise sustainable outcomes.

Our solutions include disposal through operating the existing Low Level Waste Repository in Cumbria to planning for a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) for the most hazardous radioactive waste.

Since the mid-1980s we have worked with organisations across the UK that produce radioactive waste to help ensure that the waste being produced now is suitable for geological disposal.

A drum ready to be disposed of at the Low Level Waste Repository

From design to disposal

With new nuclear recognised by Government as essential to the UK’s low-carbon energy mix and energy security, the ability to manage radioactive waste safely – today and for future generations – has never been more important.

It is vital that new build reactor design consider decommissioning from the very outset. An assessment process has been put in place to scrutinise new nuclear power plant designs and assess their acceptability for use in Great Britain.

NWS – with a remit extending well beyond managing legacy waste – is playing a pivotal role ensuring that during plant design, construction and beyond, developers have clear and credible plans for the safe and permanent disposal of the waste their facilities will produce. In addition to receiving the most hazardous legacy waste, the GDF will accept waste arising from new plants, so at NWS we must ensure it is compatible with final disposal in the facility.

Supercompacted waste destined for disposal

Diverting waste from disposal

Our role spans the full waste lifecycle. We assess waste, advise on the most sustainable management route, and apply innovative treatments to reduce its volume or radioactivity wherever possible. Our partnership with the Chartered Institute of Waste Management increases trust and credibility of the solutions we provide.

Around 15 years ago, the default approach for low level waste was disposal at the Repository on the West Cumbrian coast. Waste was placed in expensive steel containers and permanently disposed of.

If that approach had continued, the UK would have needed a new low level waste repository at significant cost.

Instead, the NDA introduced a new strategy based on the waste hierarchy: avoid, reduce, reuse, recycle and only dispose as a last resort, delivered by a new centralised waste services capability. This work has been making significant savings to the taxpayer, made great efficiencies in our waste disposal management, avoided the unnecessary use of higher‑cost disposal facilities and helped speed up decommissioning.

A step change in how waste is managed across the nuclear sector now exists. Over the past decade, we have increasingly adopted alternative treatment routes such as incineration, permitted landfill for lower-activity waste, super-compaction, and metal decontamination for recycling.

These approaches deliver both environmental and economic benefits. Diversion is typically more cost-effective than disposal, and techniques such as surface treatment allow contaminated metals to be cleaned and safely reused. In practice, that means expanding the range of treatment routes used across the UK, so that suitable waste can be diverted away from disposal. By re-using or recycling where possible, we now divert 98% of waste away from disposal at the Repository site. In the past year alone, this approach has saved nearly £60 million and more than £900 million in the past decade; money that can be redirected to hazard reduction and decommissioning priorities. Waste management is a lever that can accelerate clean-up and reduce long-term liabilities. When we avoid unnecessary disposal, we protect constrained national capacity, improve efficiency across the system and help ensure public money is spent once and spent well.

Going further

Building on our success in diverting lower activity waste from disposal, we are now exploring whether similar principles can be applied to some wastes currently in storage and destined for deep geological disposal in a GDF.

Through research and trials, we are examining whether innovative treatment methods could reduce the volume of certain lower activity wastes that would otherwise require disposal underground. These trials will inform decisions on the most sustainable techniques to apply in the future.

This work does not remove the need for a GDF. A GDF remains the safe, secure and long-term solution for the UK’s most hazardous radioactive waste. However, by reducing volumes where it is safe and appropriate to do so, we can maximise value and support delivery of the NDA mission.

Our work accelerates decommissioning while ensuring waste is managed in the most sustainable and cost-effective way possible.

Through collaboration with customers and the supply chain, and with a clear focus on innovation and delivery, we are making nuclear waste permanently safe, sooner.

Alfred H Knight | How Local Authorities Can Save Costs Through Waste Profiling Ahead of New Regulations

Local authorities are being asked to do more than ever – deliver higher recycling rates, navigate an evolving policy landscape and do so under increasing financial pressure. The question is no longer whether change is coming, but how we can confidently and effectively respond to it.

That’s why Alfred H Knight, in collaboration with CIWM, is hosting a focused one-day in-person workshop designed specifically for local authorities facing these challenges.

The big question is: do you truly know what’s in your waste?

With the introduction of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), Simpler Recycling, EPR, and the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) Code of Practice, understanding your waste streams is no longer optional; it’s essential.

Our session brings Waste Composition Analysis (WCA) to life.

Rather than theory alone, you’ll experience a live demonstration, revealing exactly what is present in a typical residual waste stream. Then, using real data generated from past work with a council, we’ll walk you through how a waste profile is built, turning raw materials into meaningful, supportive data.

During the workshop, we will explore: 

• How waste composition data can transform operations – improving recycling performance while reducing avoidable costs.
• The regulatory landscape facing local authorities, including Simpler Recycling, the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), EPR, DRS and the MRF Code of Practice.
• The financial implications of new policy requirements and how councils can prepare and budget strategically.
• A live demonstration of a waste composition analysis, showing what goes into your waste, how it’s sorted and how the data is captured, and then translated into practical insights.
• A real-time case study showing how waste profiling and reporting can support operational planning, compliance and cost savings.

If you’re experiencing these challenges within your organisation, this is a workshop you don’t want to miss. Book your space now via the link here, and we’ll see you there!

• Date: Tuesday 21 April 2026
• Time: 09:00 – 17:00 
• Venue: Thrybergh Hall, Doncaster Road, Thrybergh, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S65 4NU

Washed Aggregates Trade Association | Trade Body urgently calls on Government to step in with aid measures to help recycling sector with fuel

WATA, the Washed Aggregates Trade Association, is calling on the Government to protect the waste and recycling sector from escalating fuel costs and a potential fuel shortage as a matter of urgency.

The trade body, which represents washing plants that clean and recycle high grade aggregates for the construction and remediation industries, says the war in Iran is already putting business in its sector and the wider waste and recycling arena under threat.

It’s calling on the Government to look urgently at:

• Cutting taxes on fuel duty
• Suspending the forthcoming fuel duty rise for business in the waste and recycling industry
• Allowing the temporary use of red diesel for businesses in the sector operating machinery, including washed aggregate plants
• In the event of any supply issues, making sure the waste and recycling sector is prioritised for fuel as it was during the Covid Pandemic.

Andy Hill, CEO of WATA, said: “We need to look ahead and be prepared. We are already seeing a huge increase in fuel costs and I’m being told waste and recycling sites in some areas are having to put security on their sites to protect their fuel supply.”

“This isn’t about scaremongering or causing undue alarm. It’s about recognising the key role that the waste and recycling sector plays in the day-to-day functioning of the UK.”

“Without this sector running smoothly we risk stockpiles of waste building up, energy supply being affected and in the case of our own members, the supply of aggregates to key markets such as construction being placed at risk.”

Andy, who works in the energy from waste (EfW) sector as well as washed aggregates, said EfW plants account for between 3% and 3.2% of the UK’s energy production, enough to power three million homes.

The recycled aggregates sector washes and recycles an estimated  20.5 million tonnes of construction, demolition and excavation waste (CDEW) annually, producing:

• Circa 8-9 million tonnes each of cleaned and sized sand, and 2-4 million tonnes fine mineral material
• >95% of washed waste soils does not go to landfill
• >80% by weight of waste soils is washed and reused

WATA members generate carbon savings of more than 23,000 tonnes a year, a figure which is growing.

Andy added: “In these two parts of the waste and recycling sector alone you can see the importance it plays in the UK’s ability to function and to its carbon savings. This is something the Government must address urgently before it becomes a major issue.”

Vision Techniques | Vision Techniques launch new product in response to the increasing number of bin lift incidents

Commercial vehicle safety and security specialists, Vision Techniques, are launching a new product designed in direct response to the increasing number of bin lift incidents.

The LoadSafe system prevents loaders from being injured when operating rear bin lifters by actively monitoring the working area using AI-based pedestrian detection.

An intelligent camera continuously detects the presence of people within configurable safety zones around the bin lifter. The detection zones can be precisely refined to ensure accurate monitoring, minimising false lift inhibitions and avoiding unnecessary disruption to workflow.

When a person is detected and the lift is inhibited, a flashing amber light indicates that the system is active.

The system ensures that bin lifters cannot operate while a pedestrian is present in the detection zone, significantly reducing the risk of injury, while optimising worker efficiency.

As well as the safety benefits included, the system also comes with data logging for lifter activity and detection events via Vision Techniques telematics platform, VT Connect.

Mikaeel Koornhof, Technical Specialist at Vision Techniques, shares what inspired the innovation.

He said: “LoadSafe has been developed in direct response to the increasing number of bin lift incidents seen across the industry in recent years, including those in Coventry, Scottish Borders and the Isle of Wight.

“By using advanced AI pedestrian detection, the system delivers a far more refined and accurate safety zone, significantly reducing false lift inhibitions while maintaining maximum protection for operators.

“This ensures safety improvements do not come at the cost of efficiency, supporting both worker wellbeing and operational productivity.”

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.

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

Greyparrot | Global waste leaders share AI’s role in protecting MRF profitability and compliance in 2026

A global panel of waste sector leaders joined Greyparrot’s recent webinar to explain how AI waste analytics is helping them protect profits, adapt to regulatory change, and attract a new generation of talent.

The webinar gathered facility operators and technical leaders from USA Waste & Recycling, GreenTech and KSI Recycling, with each sharing their AI strategies for 2026.

Despite differences in local regulation and material streams, the panellists shared similar priorities for 2026: adapting to changing infeed material, maximising sorting efficiency, and meeting evolving compliance requirements.

Data-driven consistency is critical to profitability

When asked about the challenges facing MRFs in 2026, speakers agreed that inconsistent infeed material continues to put pressure on margins. Whether in the USA, EU or UK, efficient sorting remains a facility’s most valuable profit lever.

“From a financial perspective, even a 1 to 2 percent decrease in capture rate or purity can make a meaningful margin impact”, said Brian Popovich, Senior Financial Analyst at USA Waste & Recycling. “We can measure it much better now, but preventing [purity dips] upstream is still one of the biggest challenges we face every day.”

Facilities are turning to AI in response, using data-driven material blending to balance fluctuating infeed composition. That data-led approach is helping operators reach their purity targets while monitoring supplier material quality and getting more from existing infrastructure and staff.

“It’s like having a thousand eyes on your material”, said GreenTech CTO Alan Smith. “There’s no other technology that gives us this level of accuracy – we shape our recipes using the information we get live.”

AI is supporting compliance as regulation evolves

Waste policy varies by region, but speakers from the EU and UK in particular agreed that AI has a growing role to play in helping facilities meet reporting and quality requirements.

Greyparrot has previously shared that they are working to help facilities automate UK Regulations reporting, and European operators are following suit.

“Every month, we report on material quality to our local government”, shared

Foppe-Jan de Meer, Plant Manager at KSI Recycling. “By the end of this year, I expect to have automated reporting up and running.”

At GreenTech, automated reporting is already a reality. Smith and his team use Greyparrot Analyzer data to prove that food-grade material meets European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) standards, arguing that AI provides a more detailed and accurate measure of product purity.

Regulators soon agreed: “We did have to show the technology to regulators and explain what it does, but once that was understood, they accepted the systems’ data”.

Technology is attracting new talent

Although the speakers have made AI waste analysis a pillar of their 2026 strategy, they stressed that technology is most effective when paired with skilled staff that can act on AI insights. Each acknowledged initial skepticism amongst their teams, and found that a period of hands-on validation actually fostered trust in AI recognition, and an enthusiasm for adoption.

Enthusiasm isn’t limited to internal teams. Some have found that AI is helping to address the waste sector’s longstanding labour shortages by attracting a new generation of leaders.

“What we’ve seen across the board is people interested in working for companies investing in this modern technology”, said Popovich. We’ve been able to use Greyparrot and other advancements as a recruitment tool.”

Adaptability will define success in 2026

The panel concluded that adaptability will be the mark of a successful facility in 2026, and in the years to come. For each speaker, the ability to prepare for – and react to – changing material streams, market conditions and regulatory demands is fundamental to MRF profitability.

None of the leaders are waiting for the recycling landscape to become more complex:

“Over the next five years, the sites that stay ahead will be the ones built to adjust quickly”, said Popovich. “That means investing in new technology now, training people to use and understand data, and designing operations that can absorb change, rather than be disrupted by it.”

Dennis Eagle | Dennis Eagle Blackpool wins Digital Award at the Red Rose Awards 2026

Dennis Eagle’s Blackpool facility has been named winner of the Digital Award at the Red Rose Awards 2026, recognising its industry leading approach to digital innovation and transformation within UK manufacturing.

Presented at a black-tie ceremony held at the Winter Gardens Blackpool, the award celebrates Dennis Eagle Blackpool’s transformation of its production and warehouse operations through a bespoke, digital system – designed and developed in-house – to improve efficiency, safety, and sustainability at its Lancashire facility.

Dennis Eagle is a world leader in the design and manufacture of refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) with its Blackpool site manufacturing RCV cabs for local authorities and private waste contractors across the UK and overseas, producing more than 1,400 hand-built units annually. Facing increasing production volumes and operational complexity, the business identified the need to move away from disconnected, paper based processes towards a fully integrated digital approach to connect people, systems, and performance.

Its digital transformation centred on a major redesign of its Finishing Department to improve workflow, stock organisation, and efficiency, while futureproofing the facilities for increased production. It introduced a digital inventory management system, fully synchronising physical and digital environments for faster, more accurate material picking that has improved production efficiency.

Alongside the introduction of digital dashboards, telematics, and automated reporting, wearable monitoring technology has enhanced the wellbeing of the team. The wearables track movement patterns, environmental factors, and fatigue, helping reduce risk and fostering a more supportive environment for employees, empowering them with better tools and insights.

The new digital infrastructure has reduced Takt time, improved stock accuracy, and created a safer and more efficient working environment. Paper use has been cut by approximately 180,000 sheets per year, delivering environmental, cost, and operational benefits.

“Digital thinking at Dennis Eagle Blackpool is now a mindset embedded into how we plan, innovate, and invest for the future,” said Oli Minett, General Manager, Dennis Eagle Blackpool.

“Dennis Eagle’s history spans over 130 years and we want the business to remain an agile industry leader as technology evolves. We’re thrilled that our investment in this area has been recognised by the Red Rose Awards. Our success to date has positioned our digital system for rollout across other Dennis Eagle sites, demonstrating our commitment to continuous improvement and a connected, future-ready business.”

Plan B | Plan B Awards for Excellence Shortlisting

Plan B Management Solutions (Plan B) is delighted to share that we have been shortlisted in all three categories we entered at this year’s Awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management.

Our shortlisted entries are:

• Reuse Initiative of the Year – Creating circular change: delivering reuse results in Essex
• Independent Business of the Year – Plan B: Driving performance and value in public sector environmental services
• Civic Amenity Site of the Year – Recycling excellence at Pyle Community Recycling Centre

These awards bring together more than 1,000 leaders and innovators from across the recycling and waste management sector, so it’s a real privilege to be recognised alongside some of the best service providers in the industry.

Most importantly, this recognition reflects the commitment, expertise and care our team delivers every day. The results we achieve for clients and communities are only possible because of our people.

The awards ceremony takes place on 13 May 2026. We’re keeping everything crossed for further success with our shortlisted entries.

The post News in brief | CIWM Commercial Partner Updates 26 March appeared first on Circular Online.

Our streak of excellence in the G2 reports continues in the latest spring report for 2026. At 101 Blockchains, we have always strived to deliver the best learning resources to prepare professionals for emerging technologies. We are excited to share that the G2 Spring Report 2026 has awarded the tag of ‘Leader’ once again to 101 Blockchains. We have achieved an amazing 32 badges in the spring report 2026 by G2, marking another successful term.

Our team is grateful to all the learners who have trusted us and loved our learning materials. We also want to express our gratitude to G2 for being a credible reviewer of our performance and guiding us at every step of our journey to become the best in tech education. You can find a glimpse of our achievements in the Spring Report 2026 by G2 in this post.

Check Now: 101 Blockchains Reviews at G2

Why Do We Trust G2 Reports?

For anyone who is new to our platform, the excitement surrounding G2 reports may not be clear. Why is everyone at 101 Blockchains so hyped up about the G2 Report released recently? The only reason for us to wait for reports by G2 is the credibility they bring to the table.

You should know that G2 is one of the world’s leading software review platforms. It is a trusted source for authentic user reviews on different software solutions that aims to help learners choose the best solutions according to their needs. On top of it, G2 also publishes reports with an assessment of the performance of online course providers like 101 Blockchains. 

We trust G2 reports because they provide a clear impression of our performance based on authentic user reviews. Our achievements in all G2 reports can be traced back to real learners who have actually used our courses and certification programs. The badges awarded to us in the reports serve as a mark of our performance and the high ratings we received from valued learners.

Check 101 Blockchains’ Performance in:
G2 Summer 2025 Reports
G2 Winter 2026 Reports
G2 Fall 2025 Reports

What Have We Achieved in the G2 Spring Report 2026?

G2 has reviewed our performance in two categories, Online Course Providers and Technical Skills Development, for their latest report. We have also successfully achieved the ‘Users Love Us’ badge once again.

• Online Course Providers

We have achieved 15 badges in the “Online Course Providers” category in the G2 Spring Report that was released recently. G2 has awarded us the “Leader” badge in the small business segment in this category, which offers a huge boost to our confidence. The next big achievement for 101 Blockchains is in the “Online Course Providers” category, which includes the 13 “High Performer” badges. We have achieved the highest performance in different regions, including Europe, the United Kingdom, Asia, and EMEA.

You should also know that G2 has recognized us as “High Performer” for different market segments, including enterprise, mid-market, and small business segments. It clearly represents the journey of our growth into a leading online course platform for learners to specialize in emerging technologies. As a “High Performer” across different regions and market segments, we believe that we have reached more learners with our resources. 

We have also received the “Easiest Admin” badge in this category, which represents another significant achievement for us. The badge showcases how individual learners and teams find it easy to manage their learning experiences at 101 Blockchains.

• Technical Skills Development 

We have received 16 badges in the “Technical Skills Development” category of the latest report by G2. The striking highlight for us in this category is the list of 13 “High Performer” badges. Our performance in new markets such as Southeast Asia, Canada, the Middle East, and Africa helped us score new “High Performer” badges in this category. The most distinctive highlight among the “High Performer” badges in the “Technical Skills Development” category is the recognition for performance in the small business market segment for different regions.

We have also achieved the “Ease of Use” badge that clearly represents our commitment to empowering everyone with sought-after technical skills. The “Best Meets Requirements” badge for 101 Blockchains showcases how we tailor our learning materials according to user expectations. On top of it, the “Easiest Admin” badge in this category proves that 101 Blockchains offers an ideal platform for managing learning experiences of teams and individual learners.

• Users Love Us

The best achievement for 101 Blockchains in G2 Report is the “Users Love Us” badge. We have earned this meaningful badge in all the G2 reports so far and feel proud to have earned it once again. The “Users Love Us” badge is a special one for us because it proves that our learners have achieved their goals with our resources.

G2 gives this badge to platforms that receive the most positive reviews from genuine users. As a result, we can confidently claim that our learners actually love us and believe in our platform. The “Users Love Us” badge fuels our commitment to serve our learners better and introduce better learning resources for emerging technologies.

Elevate you career with comprehensive Skill Paths and start your learning journey with top learning resources!

What Does G2’s Recognition Say About Us?

The badges we have received in the G2 Spring Report 2026 represent the tip of the iceberg of our achievements. We are more excited about the fact that our efforts in helping our learners have paid off. Each badge we have earned in the G2 reports till now indicates that we are successful in understanding what our learners want. You can see why we look forward to G2 reports in the following benefits we find in the reports.

• Proof of Our Global Reach

The G2 reports show us that we are performing at the highest standards in new markets worldwide. It clearly suggests that our reach is expanding globally and our resources are helping learners from different regions. 

• Maintaining Quality Standards

Over the years, we have been consistently achieving badges in G2 reports that prove our commitment to serving learning resources of the highest quality. G2 badges have once again proved that we deliver the best professional training in emerging technologies. Our accredited certifications serve as the biggest proof of our dedication to ensuring the highest standards of professional training.

• Recognition from Real Learners

We trust G2 reports because they showcase a clear impression of our performance on the basis of genuine user reviews. The list of G2 badges we have achieved till now proves that learners have actually got the desired benefits from our courses and certification programs.

What Are We Planning Next?

The recognition we have received in the new G2 report drives our confidence to new heights. We are striving to introduce more learning resources on new technologies with a special focus on artificial intelligence. As we expand our list of offerings, we are committed to maintaining the highest quality of professional training. From here, we look forward to welcoming new learners and preparing a new generation of professionals.

Our Thank You Note for You

Every valued learner who has trusted our courses or certifications is a part of our achievements in this new G2 report. We have become one of the leading platforms for professional training in emerging technologies solely thanks to our learners. You have acknowledged the value of our learning resources and helped us grow with your feedback and reviews. We believe you will continue supporting us in our journey of helping every learner with our professional training materials.

Final Thoughts 

The new report by G2 shows us that our learners acknowledge the value of our training courses and certifications for professional development. The G2 Spring Report adds more accomplishments to our credit and encourages us to become a leading force in professional education. On top of it, the results in G2 reports continue to drive our efforts in creating new courses and certification programs focused on emerging technologies. We wholeheartedly thank every learner for trusting our learning resources and giving honest reviews for 101 Blockchains. Our team is also thankful to G2 for offering a genuine impression of what our learners think about us and our services.

The post Announcement: 101 Blockchains Recognized as a Leader in the G2 Spring 2026 Reports appeared first on 101 Blockchains.

Amy Bloom CRWM MCIWM, Technical Plant Engineer at SUEZ, explains why the sector must focus on communication, technical expertise, and collaboration to attract talent in 2026.

In 1927, philosopher Elbert Hubbard said, ‘nothing is permanent but change’, and almost 100 years later, these words are still as relevant today as ever.

We are living during a time of great transition, and as a sector, we are not immune to the opportunities and challenges this presents.

Twenty years ago, the term ‘waste management’ looked very different to how it looks today, and I imagine we will be saying the same in another twenty. What will we be calling it – the circular economy sector?

It is undeniable that the services we provide cannot be compromised during this period. However, providing these to the public and private sectors experiencing increasing financial pressures whilst meeting our own company targets for growth is complex.

New legislation, volatility in the UK and global political landscapes and the changing focus on environmental protection also introduce further challenges.

There is a lot to do then, but who will be doing it? Are your team’s current skillsets and staffing levels sufficient to maintain servicing levels whilst supporting company growth and projects to meet future needs?

Do you have an established talent pipeline and hiring budget to ensure your team can sustain output for the next three to five years? Can you list the top three skills that will be required in *insert current job title*, too?

That is a lot of questions, and I suspect many of the answers are unknowns. Without a clear map, it is difficult to understand what skills will be required, as well as when and where.

To ensure a competitive edge in the longer term, companies must allow staff space and time to undertake directed and valuable training, seeing it as job and company critical, rather than a ‘nice to have’.

This is understandably challenging and represents a risk, especially for SMEs, due to the upfront costs.

However, the intrinsic value of training to enable personal development and improve job satisfaction whilst reducing staff turnover in the longer term will pay for itself. To offset this risk, supporting SMEs to upskill their staff could be helpful to achieve broader sector growth.

Now I hear you ask, what skills do we need, and how many? Of course, we cannot know for certain what the future will look like (if we did, I would have won the lottery by now), but I see three interlinked areas to focus on.

The first is communication; not only how, but also with whom and where.

Communication

The most common response I have heard for why someone chose to work in resource management is ‘they fell into it’, but now that they are here, they find it interesting and are unlikely to leave.

This is promising for retention, but have we become too comfortable with what we have always done? Are we only engaging with the people we have shared careers with, the events we have always presented at, and the platforms we are comfortable on?

This year at RWM, it was great to have recent graduates approach the CIWM and Early Careers Team and ask for career advice.

However, how many students or recent graduates did not attend because they were not aware? Could other industry conferences and events include career and skills development advice, or diversify their advertising?

I am sure your LinkedIn feeds are normally filled to the brim with posts for certain events, but how about diverting 10% of these to a job board website? What difference could that make?

In addition, we need to communicate and show up in the places where the people we want to target are looking for opportunities. This means learning about and appearing on different social media platforms and using language that the public can engage with. This will go a long way in challenging perceptions of what we do.

Technical skills

The second area is technical skills; like many other sectors, we are struggling to recruit the right people into these roles.

Whether it is electrical engineers who install and maintain the solar farms that are transforming closed landfills, ecologists who implement and enhance biodiversity initiatives, or data security engineers who protect valuable data, the list of roles available in our sector may surprise you.

I believe skills classed as technical are lost behind well-meaning misconceptions of ‘I was never good at maths at school’ or ‘I don’t want to work with cars’.

However, sharing and supporting the awareness of alternative narratives earlier in the educational system can challenge ideas of what a role does and what someone who does it looks like.

These conversations could be powerful for those who are already in work and may be considering a career change. We can go a step further here and provide safe and hands-on exposure to what these roles entail, helping individuals feel more confident in what they can achieve.

With effective trainers and supportive work environments, we can start to change the narrative on what people believe they are capable of, as often these roles are typically well paid, offering great job security and flexibility.

Collaboration

The final skill set that I believe to be critical is that of collaboration. At its heart, a soft skill that will support impactful integration with other sectors operating at different parts of the product lifecycle.

Effective collaboration can overcome the siloed approach to problem-solving and will be at the epicentre of developing a circular economy.

Sharing our knowledge of logistics, financial modelling and collection mechanisms to ensure products developed are put onto a market that can take them back at the end of life is a must.

Inevitably, businesses must be profitable to survive, but in the long term to thrive, collaboration will be critical to unlock ‘a multi-trillion-dollar economic opportunity’ (Financing the Circular Economy, Ellen Macarthur Foundation, 2020) that will become available in a circular economy.

Heading

These skills are not sector-specific, and through working with other areas, we can overcome shared barriers to growth together.

What we have achieved up to now cannot be overstated; as a sector, we have transformed and been central to the decarbonisation of other sectors also.

It is important that the experiences and skills of the teams that have enabled this progress must not be lost or alienated, either. Instead, we must pivot and bring them along with us to put the sector in the strongest position possible as the evolution towards circularity accelerates.

Ultimately, though, we can keep talking about skills for the future, but without real, inclusive action now, we will still be in this situation in another five years, and our global competitiveness and ability to manage our own waste will be undermined.

There are exciting opportunities ahead, and it would be great to have as many people as possible along for the ride.

The post ‘Nothing is permanent but change’: What new skills does the sector need in 2026? appeared first on Circular Online.

What makes the world’s most effective waste strategies work, and why are so many countries still getting it wrong? Darrel Moore speaks to leading international experts to find out.

From South Korea’s food waste revolution to Sweden’s integrated energy-from-waste systems, some countries consistently outperform others in managing resources.

Ahead of this year’s ISWA World Congress, held in London, Circular Online explores what underpins these high-performing systems.

A growing global divide

Global waste generation is rising faster than previously understood. According to the World Bank’s What a Waste 3.0, the world produced 2.56 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste in 2022, with projections reaching 3.86 billion tonnes by 2050 under current trajectories – a near 50% increase.

This growth is not evenly distributed. High-income countries, while representing just 16% of the global population, generate 29% of waste.

Meanwhile, low- and middle-income regions are experiencing the fastest growth. Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to see waste volumes more than double by the mid-century, while South Asia’s waste output is expected to almost double if current trends continue.

At the same time, the ability to manage this waste diverges sharply. High-income countries achieve near-universal collection, while low-income countries collect only around 28% of waste.

Globally, around 30% of waste remains uncollected or is openly dumped, with significant consequences for public health, climate and economic development.

This widening gap defines the global waste challenge. While some countries have built systems that deliver consistently strong outcomes, others still struggle with basic service provision. The difference is not simply one of wealth, but of system design.

Defining what ‘effective’ means

High-performing waste systems are often judged by headline recycling rates or landfill diversion figures. But this misses the point; true effectiveness is systemic. It reflects a combination of outcomes:

• Reliable collection coverage
• Stable financing
• Low contamination rates
• Strong end-markets for materials
• Long-term policy durability

As the World Bank emphasises, waste management sits at the intersection of public health, environmental protection and economic development.

Where systems function well, cities are cleaner, more resilient and more economically competitive. Where they fail, the consequences ripple across economies and communities.

Dan Cooke, Director of Policy, Communications and External Affairs at CIWM, cautions against oversimplifying success: “The question is unfortunately too simple for the hugely varying systems and complexities of global resources and waste management.”

Instead, he points to a set of shared characteristics: “There are undoubtedly some commonalities… clear strategies, objectives and targets, economic and regulatory frameworks… effective planning and enforcement regimes… alongside responsible business and entrepreneurial endeavour.”

This is the foundation of high performance. Not a single policy or technology, but alignment across the system.

South Korea: Behaviour driven by incentives

South Korea offers one of the clearest examples of behaviour-led system design.

Its food waste system combines separate collection with pay-as-you-throw principles, where households are charged based on the amount of food waste they dispose of.

In many areas, RFID-enabled bins or prepaid bags are used to track waste generation, making it both visible and financially tangible.

The results are widely cited as among the best in the world. South Korea is commonly reported to recycle around 90% or more of its food waste, redirecting material into compost, animal feed and bioenergy.

What makes this system effective is not just technology, but clarity of incentives. Households directly experience the cost of waste, and the infrastructure makes compliance straightforward.

This reflects a broader principle: behaviour change does not happen through awareness alone. It requires systems where the easiest option is also the right one.

Sweden: Integration over isolation

Sweden is often cited for its minimal reliance on landfill, particularly for household waste, but its success lies in how the system is structured.

Energy-from-waste is fully integrated with district heating networks, supplying heat and electricity to homes and businesses. Recycling, biological treatment and energy recovery are not competing approaches; they are coordinated components of a single system.

This integration allows Sweden to treat waste as a resource rather than a liability. It also provides a consistent demand for residual waste as a fuel source. To support this system, Sweden imports sorted waste from other European countries to supply its energy recovery capacity.

Crucially, this system is underpinned by long-term policy stability and sustained infrastructure investment. Investors and operators work within a predictable framework, enabling consistent performance over decades.

The lesson is not to replicate energy-from-waste in isolation, but to recognise that effective systems are designed as ecosystems, not as disconnected interventions.

Germany: Responsibility starts upstream

Germany’s system is built on one of the world’s most developed frameworks of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

Producers are required to finance the collection and recycling of packaging materials, shifting the cost burden upstream. This creates a direct incentive to reduce material use and improve recyclability.

The system is reinforced by strict regulation, advanced sorting infrastructure and strong compliance mechanisms. The result is high-quality recycling streams and a mature secondary materials market.

However, as Jane Gilbert of Carbon Clarity highlights, replicating this model is far from straightforward: “Many countries attempt to replicate elements… but these efforts frequently underperform because they transplant policy instruments without the enabling conditions that make them effective.”

One of the most significant gaps is the role of the informal sector, she adds: “In many low- and middle-income countries, informal waste pickers play a central role… When informal systems are ignored or displaced rather than integrated, material recovery efficiency can decline.”

This is a critical insight. High-performing systems are not just formal. Ignoring existing systems can weaken performance rather than improve it.

Japan: Precision through culture and trust

Japan’s waste system demonstrates the importance of behavioural alignment.

Households separate waste into multiple categories, often with strict collection schedules and detailed local guidance. This level of precision would be difficult to enforce through regulation alone.

Instead, it is supported by strong social norms and public trust. Residents believe their efforts matter, and the system consistently delivers visible results.

The outcome is a system with high levels of compliance, low landfill dependence and highly controlled waste flows. However, Japan’s system still relies heavily on incineration, and its municipal recycling rate remains relatively modest compared to some European countries.

This highlights a key point: behaviour is not simply a variable to be managed, it is a core component of system design.

Why does replication so often fail

If the principles of high-performing systems are broadly understood, why do so many attempts to replicate them fall short?

Cooke explains: “Simply trying to transpose them into other countries with different economic, political, regulatory and cultural frameworks almost always fails.”

Even within a single country, variation can be significant, he says. “This is often exaggerated in regional differences. Just consider variations within the UK alone.”

The World Bank reinforces this point. Waste systems are shaped by income levels, governance capacity and infrastructure. While nearly all waste in high-income countries is managed in controlled facilities, only a very small proportion is managed this way in low-income countries.

Gilbert identifies several recurring failure points:

• Weak enforcement capacity
• Lack of data and monitoring systems
• Absence of end-markets for recyclate
• Misalignment with informal sector dynamics

She notes: “Without credible enforcement, policy signals fail to drive investment in collection, sorting, and reprocessing infrastructure… Ultimately, what is often missing is systemic alignment.”

This is the core issue. Policies are often imported without the governance, infrastructure or market conditions needed to support them.

The economic reality: Waste as a system investment

One of the most consistent findings from What a Waste 3.0 is the economic importance of waste systems.

Global waste management already costs over $250 billion annually, rising to around $426 billion by 2050 under business-as-usual scenarios. Yet the cost of inaction is even higher, including environmental damage, health impacts and lost economic productivity.

Cooke frames this shift in perspective clearly: “We need to swiftly move from the collective mindset of seeing post-consumer waste as a liability… to understanding resource efficiency and effective waste services as an asset.”

This aligns with the World Bank’s broader conclusion: waste systems are not simply environmental services; they are foundational infrastructure for economic development.

What high-performing systems really share

Across different countries and contexts, the strongest systems consistently demonstrate five core characteristics:

1. Long-term policy stability – Clear direction sustained over decades, not short-term policy cycles.
2. Aligned incentives – Households, producers and operators are working toward the same outcomes.
3. Infrastructure matched to ambition – Policy targets are supported by physical capacity.
4. Integrated system design – Collection, sorting, treatment and markets are treated as connected stages.
5. Public trust and participation – People engage because the system is reliable and transparent.

Together, these elements create what can be described as systemic alignment.

The next generation of waste systems

Looking ahead, the question is not whether policy, technology or behaviour will define future systems, but how they interact.

Zoë Lenkiewicz of Global Waste Lab is clear: “The next generation of high-performing waste systems will be defined by how well policy, technology and behaviour are aligned. None of them achieves much in isolation.”

She warns against over-reliance on any single solution: “We have all seen what happens when one of these is treated as the sole answer: policies that sound strong but change little… technologies that promise a great deal but are ill-fitted… and behaviour change campaigns that ask too much of people.”

Instead, success depends on integration, she says. “What will define the strongest systems is whether governance, finance, operations, infrastructure, markets and human behaviour are considered together.”

This is perhaps the clearest articulation of the central lesson: high performance comes from making the whole system work.

The real lesson

There is no single model for success in waste management.

No country has solved every challenge. Even the most advanced systems continue to evolve, responding to changing materials, consumption patterns and environmental pressures.

What distinguishes the highest-performing systems is not individual brilliance, but coherence.

Policy, infrastructure, finance and behaviour are aligned. Incentives reinforce outcomes. Systems are designed to function reliably over time.

As Cooke notes, the challenge remains unresolved: “To my knowledge so far, no country has broken the clear link between economic prosperity and increased waste generation… it remains something of a holy grail across the globe.”

That may be the defining challenge of the next generation.

Join the conversation at ISWA 2026

These questions, and the systems shaping the answers, will take centre stage at the ISWA World Congress 2026, taking place in London from 9–11 November.

Bringing together thousands of professionals, policymakers and industry leaders, the Congress will explore the strategies, technologies and policies driving real-world progress at a pivotal moment for the sector.

Hosted at the QEII Centre in Westminster, the event marks the return of the Congress to the UK for the first time in over 30 years, offering a unique platform to share insight, challenge assumptions and shape the future of resource management.

To learn more, register to attend or submit an abstract here.

The post The world’s most effective waste plans and what makes them work appeared first on Circular Online.

The UK food and drink manufacturing sector could redistribute one billion meals a year by making ‘small improvements’ across the industry, new research finds.

A new report has found that UK food and drink manufacturers could provide more than one billion meals a year to people facing food insecurity by reducing waste, recovering surplus, and reinvesting cost savings.

The Waste Equation report was developed by the consultancy Newton, in partnership with food redistribution charities The Felix Project and FareShare.

A manufacturing waste map produced as part of the report identifies that most food is lost during preparation, operations, quality control, giveaways, changeovers and planning.

The report found that by targeting these six areas, businesses could ‘dramatically reduce waste’ and improve operational efficiency, as well as redistribute one billion additional meals.

Reacting to the report, Charlotte Hill, CEO at The Felix Project and FareShare, said: “Working collaboratively with food manufacturers to reduce waste, recover surplus and reinvest savings to create more meals not only makes commercial sense, it is the right thing to do.”

“That’s why we’re calling on the UK Government to step up, making it easier and more cost-effective for businesses to donate surplus food, instead of it going to lower-value users. This, however, can’t be done by one sector alone – if everyone begins to play their part, we really can make a step change in 2026.”

According to the research, 3% of the 18.5 million tonnes of UK-manufactured food and drink that UK retailers sell each year, around 550,000 tonnes, is wasted.

The report found that 23% of that waste – 128,000 tonnes – could be prevented, saving manufacturers an ‘estimated £326 million’.

16% of surplus that cannot be cost-effectively prevented – 89,000 tonnes – could be recovered for redistribution by frontline charities, the report says.

Finally, the report found that reinvesting the £326 million in savings at the lowest marginal manufacturing cost could generate a further 657 million meals.

Tim Murray, Partner at Newton, commented: “This report shows that no single organisation can solve the waste problem on its own.”

“By collaborating across the wider supply chain – sharing expertise, logistics, storage, and production capacity – we can unlock far more surplus food for those who need it.”

The post Food manufacturers could redistribute 1bn more meals a year, report finds appeared first on Circular Online.

About Aaron Simon

Full Name: Aaron Simon

Designation: Lawyer | Privacy, Cybersecurity & Compliance

Company: ECIJA

Country: Spain

Aaron’s Learning Journey That Inspires

Which courses or certifications by 101 Blockchains have you completed?

I have successfully completed the Certified Enterprise Blockchain Professional (CEBP) certification program by 101 Blockchains. 

What made you choose this certification program, and did you have a productive learning experience with 101 Blockchains?

I selected the Certified Enterprise Blockchain Professional (CEBP) certification program to understand how blockchain works at the enterprise level. I also picked the certification to learn how to design and implement blockchain solutions in real business environments with a structured and practical approach. My learning experience with 101 Blockchains helped me gain professional understanding of enterprise blockchain platforms, blockchain architecture concepts and use cases of blockchain technology. The learning outcomes from the certification program will add more value to my career as a lawyer. My comprehensive understanding of the technical aspects of blockchain and how it works will help me provide better guidance to organizations on privacy, governance, and compliance in decentralized systems. 

At 101 Blockchains, you don’t just earn certifications — you gain real-world skills that shape you into a confident blockchain professional.

Which skills or knowledge did you gain from the certification that helped you the most?

I learned about enterprise blockchain architecture and the difference between notable enterprise blockchain platforms from the certification program by 101 Blockchains. The clear and structured explanations provided in the certification course helped me acquire practical understanding of the most important considerations for real-world implementation of blockchain. As a lawyer, I had already learned about the fundamental concepts of blockchain technology. With the certification course, I was able to acquire practical expertise in designing and deploying blockchain solutions for businesses with effective governance systems.

How did the certification program help you with professional growth?

The Certified Enterprise Blockchain Professional (CEBP) certification program helped me gain practical understanding of best practices to design and implement enterprise blockchain solutions in real business environments. I have discovered how to evaluate legal considerations for enterprise blockchain solutions with in-depth knowledge of their technical aspects and how they operate. As a result, I believe I can contribute more value to discussions and projects that involve blockchain technology.

From learners to leaders — explore the success stories of 100,000+ professionals with 101 Blockchains.

What is your advice for someone interested in a career in blockchain?

Anyone pursuing a career in blockchain should begin with acquiring in-depth knowledge of the working of blockchain technology. You must also learn about practical examples of blockchain use cases in real-world environments to improve your readiness for a career in blockchain. Professionals who are not working in purely technical roles, such as a lawyer like me, will gain significant benefits from understanding blockchain technology. The intersection between blockchain and many other fields implies that interdisciplinary knowledge and staying updated with technical and regulatory developments in the blockchain space can bring promising benefits for your career.

The post Success Story: Aaron Simon’s Learning Journey with 101 Blockchains appeared first on 101 Blockchains.

Protective workwear manufacturer Alsico has announced a ‘major technical breakthrough’ in circular workwear.

Alsico announced that, in collaboration with Stuff4Life and Coats, it has successfully recovered and reused retro-reflective glass beads from end-of-life hi-vis garments.

Stuff4Life’s patented polyester depolymerisation process, with technical validation from Teesside University, has now been shown to separate and preserve the glass beads from hi-vis safety strips during processing.

Alsico says laboratory analysis found that the recovered beads remain intact, spherical, and optically effective, retaining up to 80% of their reflectivity compared to new material.

Reflective strips have traditionally forced garments into incineration due to their tightly bonded composite construction, which Alsico says is one of the biggest barriers to recycling hi-vis clothing.

Through this approach, up to 100% of glass beads can be captured through filtration, and more than 75% of the total reflective strip material can be recovered by weight when reflective strips are manufactured on PET backing fabric.

Performance testing by Coats confirms the recovered beads meet the criteria required for reuse in new reflective tapes and materials.

Commenting on the announcement, Vincent Siau, Head of the Alsico Academy, said: “Recycling reflective strips has long been a critical challenge for hi-vis workwear. Until now, garments containing these materials were typically destined for incineration.”

“These results show that a closed-loop pathway is technically achievable and brings us closer to making circular hi-vis garments a reality.”

How viable is circular workwear?

John Twitchen FCIWM, Founder of Stuff4Life, exclusively told Circular Online: “We chose to focus on workwear and hi-vis PPE because of our roots in the waste, resources, minerals and construction industries, wearing kit that helps keep our colleagues safe, dry, warm and performing.”

“It’s incredibly difficult to recycle polyester-based composite garments that are built to last – much harder than cheap, simple fast fashion.”

“However, the organisations using this kit are motivated by carbon, circularity and other ESG commitments and targets, and also understand the value proposition of buying stuff that’s designed to last longer – the best way to reduce impact and keep on top of costs.”

“We call it ‘wear your commitment’, and our ability to recover and reuse the reflective beads is part of the evolution of better products, better outcomes and better service.”

The post ‘Major technical breakthrough’ in circular workwear announced appeared first on Circular Online.

The producer-led organisation UK Packaging PRO has been appointed to manage the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) scheme.

UK Packaging PRO is a producer-led organisation of more than 100 brands, retailers and trade bodies, which are also supported by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (INCPEN).

Karen Graley, Head of UK Packaging PRO, said UK Packaging PRO was created to give producers a ‘genuine seat at the table’.

“With strong governance in place, a clear mobilisation plan, and broad support from across the sector, we are ready to get to work – in close partnership with PackUK, governments, local authorities and organisations across the value chain to deliver a packaging system that works better for everyone,” Graley continued.

The formal appointment for UK Packaging PRO will commence on 1 April 2026, with PackUK, the scheme administrator for pEPR, maintaining oversight of the PRO.

Core administrative powers, such as final decisions on local authority payments and producer fees, will remain with PackUK.

The pEPR scheme provides funding to local authorities to drive improvements in recycling. £1.4 billion was reinvested back into recycling infrastructure in the first year of the scheme.

Circular Economy Minister, Mary Creagh, called the appointment a ‘major step forward’.

“Our packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) scheme will incentivise businesses towards more sustainable packaging choices and improve recycling services in every region,” Creagh said.

“The launch of UK Packaging PRO, led by businesses and working closely with PackUK, is a major step forward – putting industry expertise at the centre of how pEPR is delivered.”

The post UK Packaging PRO appointed to deliver pEPR scheme appeared first on Circular Online.

Paris Blockchain Week, one of the biggest community events in the web3 space, is set to return in 2026. 101 Blockchains is proud to be associated with Paris Blockchain Week 2026 as an ecosystem partner. As an official partner of PBW for the last two years, we have stood at the frontlines of innovation in blockchain and web3. This year, we are preparing to gain more insights on digital assets and TradFi as an ecosystem partner in the biggest convention of decision-makers and industry leaders.

Everyone in the 101 Blockchains community has been looking forward to PBW 2026 with a lot of anticipation. The Paris Blockchain Week 2026 is more than a conference, it aims to drive discussions on the future of digital finance and innovation in web3. Let us share with you some interesting things you can expect from this year’s Paris Blockchain Week event.

Join Paris Blockchain Week 2026 to celebrate the rise of blockchain and web3! As an official partner, 101 Blockchains members can leverage this groundbreaking collaboration to their advantage. Use code 101BLOCKCHAINS-PBW15 to save 15% on your registration.

Interesting Highlights from Paris Blockchain Week 2025

As the official ecosystem partner of Paris Blockchain Week 2026, we are excited to share what you can expect in this year’s event. Before that, we would like to shed some light on the biggest highlights from the Paris Blockchain Week 2025. 

• The PBW 2025 witnessed more than 10,000 attendees, including corporate leaders, founders, and investors from over 100 countries.
• The attendees participated in 36,000 high-value networking meetings at PBW 2025.
• More than 450 journalists from top media outlets, such as Bloomberg and Forbes, had covered the PBW 2025 event.
• Over 320 C-suite leaders and regulators participated in PBW 2025 as speakers, sharing their insights on institutional adoption of the digital economy.
• 97.4% of attendees at the PBW 2025 expressed satisfaction with network quality at the event. 

A Glimpse of Paris Blockchain Week 2026

The Paris Blockchain Week is a leading industry event in Europe that draws members of the web3 community and industry leaders every year. The Carrousel du Louvre will host the PBW 2026 event on April 15 and April 16 this year. Over the period of these two days, 10,000 decision-makers will meet to discuss regulatory frameworks, cross-border settlement, market structure, and institutional custody.

The PBW 2026 will serve as a power forum for Europe to shape the future of digital finance worldwide. The experience of Paris Blockchain Week 2026 will include three notable segments with big sponsors from the industry backing the event.

• Institutional Days

Paris Blockchain Week offers the ideal stage to institutional leaders, capital allocators, and regulators to meet in one place. It provides a shared space to make big decisions for the infrastructure that will transform global markets. The notable points of discussion in Paris Blockchain Week 2026 will be stablecoin payments, Bitcoin treasury strategies and institutional-scale investing, and tokenized assets. You can notice that PBW 2026 creates a platform where leaders will set the standards for defining the future of global finance.

• Start in Block

The Paris Blockchain Week 2026 is more than just an event where industry leaders and the blockchain and web3 community come together to discuss new trends. It will also host ‘Start in Block’, the biggest startup competition in the domain of web3. The competition will see more than 1000 founders from all over the world competing against each other for over $10,000,000 worth of prizes. PBW 2026 will provide a promising launchpad for emerging startups and visionary leaders who will set new benchmarks.

• The VIP Dinner

Probably the fanciest part of the Paris Blockchain Week event, the VIP dinner is one of the most talked-about highlights. It is an invitation-only dinner event held within royal halls under splendid and timeless chandeliers. Industry leaders from various domains, including finance, policy, and innovation, exchange ideas and enjoy an exclusive dinner experience.

Agenda of the Paris Blockchain Week 2026

The actual schedule of the Paris Blockchain Week 2026 includes more than the two dates specified for the event. An overview of the agenda for PBW 2026 will help you discover how it promises a week filled with productive events revolving around institutional finance, innovation, and digital assets. What do we know of the Paris Blockchain Week 2026 Agenda?

1. The First Two Days 

Paris Blockchain Week 2026 will start with ‘Hack the Block’, a two-day marathon for developers. It will be held across two days, 11th and 12th April 2026, and calls developers all over the world to build the next wave of infrastructure for digital assets.

2. The VIP Dinner

Are you a global leader in blockchain, web3, and digital finance? The Paris Blockchain Week 2026 welcomes you to participate in the VIP Dinner on 14th April 2026. The invitation-only dinner event will be hosted in the halls of the Château de Versailles. The special dinner will see many global leaders coming together under one roof. 

3. Day 1 of the Paris Blockchain Week 

The first day of the Paris Blockchain Week, 15th April 2026, will have two notable events. Experts will talk about the evolution of digital payments, financial infrastructure, and stablecoins in the “Stablecoin & Payment Infrastructure Reception & Fireside Chat”. The second event of the day will be the “VIP Regulatory Night” in which leaders in the domains of policy, regulation, and compliance will discuss the future of digital asset oversight.

4. Day 2 of the Paris Blockchain Week

The second day of the Paris Blockchain Week 2026, i.e., 16th April, will be the most eventful one. On day 2, the PBW 2026 will host the following events.

• Start in Block

More than 1000 founders will pitch their breakthrough ideas to Europe’s leading investors in a special competition.

• Bitcoin Treasury Networking Lunch & Fireside Chat

Top finance leaders will participate in a dedicated forum to explore institutional Bitcoin allocation and treasury strategy.

• RWA & Tokenization

Institutions that have been deploying capital in RWA and tokenization will have a special chat session on the shift of real-world assets to blockchain, infrastructure challenges, and regulatory frameworks.

• Investor & Founders Day

Venture capitalists, founders, and institutional investors will come together for strategic conversations and make valuable deals.

• Investing at an Institutional Scale Breakfast & Fireside Chat

Speakers will discuss large-scale deployment, institutional participation, and risk frameworks for digital assets.

• Official Closing Party

The PBW community will close the week with an evening of celebrations and connections.

Start your learning journey with top learning resources and develop the most in-demand skills in Blockchain, Web3, and other advanced technologies with 101 Blockchains Skill Paths.

Who Will Be the Speakers at the Paris Blockchain Week 2026?

One of the most anticipated things about every Paris Blockchain Week event is the list of speakers attending the event. The PBW 2026 will see the following industry leaders sharing their valuable insights on the future of digital assets.

• Charles Hoskinson, Co-founder of Ethereum, Cardano, and IOHK
• Monica Long, President of Ripple
• Clara Chappaz, Ex-Minister of State for Digital Affairs of France
• Tim Draper, Founder and Managing Partner of Draper Associates
• Silvio Micali, Founder of Algorand
• Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream
• Eric Anziani, President of Crypto.com
• David Ripley, Co-CEO of Kraken
• Eric Piscini, CEO of Hashgraph
• Robby Yung, CEO of Investments at Animoca Brands

What Will 101 Blockchains Users Get from the Event?

The Paris Blockchain Week 2026 brings an exclusive opportunity for the 101 Blockchains community to witness the future of digital finance taking shape. As a 101 Blockchains user, you can get 15% discount on tickets to PBW 2026. You can use the coupon code “101BLOCKCHAINS-PBW15” and buy tickets for PBW 2026 at lower prices. 

Final Thoughts 

As the global blockchain community prepares for Paris Blockchain Week 2026, there is a lot of anticipation in the air. Do you want to see and hear global experts talking about the future of digital finance? The agenda of PBW 2026 focuses on digital assets and TradFi, the two biggest trends in the web3 space now. With thousands of visitors attending the event, you can become a part of the next big revolution in digital finance. We are proud to be associated with Paris Blockchain Week once again in 2026 as an ecosystem partner. Join us today and get a 15% discount on your tickets for the event now.

The post 101 Blockchains Rejoins Paris Blockchain Week 2026 as an Official Partner appeared first on 101 Blockchains.