Expansion of the circular economy could create three million extra jobs and reduce unemployment by 520,000 across EU member states by 2030, according to a study released by WRAP.

The use of single-use carrier bags in Wales has dropped by 71 per cent since a charge was introduced in 2011, raising up to £22 million in the process, says a new Welsh Government report.

Spaniard Daniel Calleja has taken over at the European Commission's Directorate-General of Environment after a reshuffle by President Jean-Claude Juncker.

The Waste & Resources Action Programme has highlighted a need for a ‘whole-systems’ vision for the EU’s upcoming Circular Economy Package, as well as a focus on food waste and innovative business models.

Just 35 per cent of WEEE disposed of in Europe in 2012 was collected and recycled by regulated processors, a two-year study funded by the European Union has found.

Supermarkets in France have agreed to a voluntary commitment to redistribute unsold food stocks, after measures were dropped from a law for ‘procedural’ reasons.

The public consultation on the European Commission’s Circular Economy package ended on Thursday, with some groups publishing their responses.

An amendment to an energy transition law that sought to ban French supermarkets from destroying unused edible food has been dropped for procedural reasons, but a new draft law has already been submitted to address the issue.

Defra has changed the definition of a ‘portable’ battery to one under 4kg, rectifying a ‘grey area’ in reporting but increasing costs of compliance for producers.

Green Alliance says the EU’s Circular Economy Package must improve design and promote demand for reused and recycled products.