The European Parliament passes the ‘first binding measures to reduce waste generation’, as a limit on plastic bag use is voted through.

Members of the resource and energy industries welcome the Liberal Democrat Party’s green pledges, and commend its track record on the environment.

A round-up of business news from the waste and resources sector, including Viridor landfill fire, Jayplas appointments, and Ed Davey cardboard cutouts.

The Mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio, has unveiled a new sustainability plan for the city, which includes zero waste to landfill by 2030 and a switch to co-mingled recycling.

The EC will launch the roadmap for its Circular Economy Package ‘within the next few weeks’, and consult on the topic ‘before summer’, according to Director-General for Environment Karl Falkenberg.

The Labour Party unveils its Green Plan for 2015, which reiterates its commitment to undertake a review of resource security and make the UK the ‘most resource-efficient economy in the world’.

The Labour Party makes no mention of resources in its manifesto, but says it would invest in green innovation to reach ‘ambitious’ carbon reduction targets, if given power in the upcoming election.

The UK Independence Party would abolish WRAP, repeal the Climate Change Act, and ‘rejuvenate the coal industry’, if it were to gain power after the election.

The Liberal Democrats would set a 70 per cent recycling target for England, and introduce an incineration tax, if they were voted into power.

The Conservative Party makes no mention of waste, resource or sustainability policy in its new manifesto, despite claiming to have been the ‘greenest government ever’.