Three councils have begun trialling kerbside recycling collections of flexible laminated packaging as part of a new Defra-funded study.

The Budget 2015 reveals that government will provide an extra £4.2 million to tackle waste crime, reform the Landfill Communities Fund, and introduce a raft of initiatives to “put Britain at the forefront of the online sharing economy”.

Two new innovations in coffee packaging have been announced, with KFC launching an edible coffee cup and Novamont producing a compostable espresso capsule.

The CLG Committee is calling on government to assign a portion of any increase in tobacco levies to local councils to help cover the cost street cleaning.

The six finalists of the Bio-based Material of the Year award have been named by the nova-Institute for Ecology and Innovation.

The Material Security Working Group has introduced a parliamentary paper reiterating calls for the establishment of a central Office for Resource Management.

A round-up of news from the waste and resources sector, including SEPA reuse workshops, Rexam can certification, and Remondis appointments.

Corrugated packaging recycler DS Smith has announced its intentions to acquire rival Duropack.

Reducing global consumer food waste by 50 per cent could save $300 billion (£190 billion) a year by 2030, the Waste & Resources Action Programme has revealed.

Greenredeem and Unilever are calling on members of the public to donate their recycling reward points to Comic Relief, in a bid to raise £20,000 for the charity.