More consideration is needed before a decision can be made on a deposit-return scheme (DRS) in Scotland, Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead has said.

Litter levels are ‘acceptable’ in 90 per cent of surveyed sites in England, though fast-food and carrier-bag litter has increased significantly in the last year, Keep Britain Tidy found in its annual Local Environment Quality Survey of England.

A round-up of news from the waste and resources sector, including Every Can Counts, BMRA’s new Chief Executive and Christmas leftovers.

Further research is needed into biodegradability standards before biodegradable bags can be made exempt from the English carrier bag charge, according to a Defra review.

Hospitality organisations that have signed up to the Hospitality and Food Service Agreement reduced CO2e emissions by 3.6 per cent between 2012 and 2014, according to the initiative’s second annual progress report.

Around 420,000 tonnes of beverage cartons were recycled in 2014, representing a recycling rate of 43 per cent in Europe.

The UK’s total household waste recycling rate rose to 44.9 per cent in 2014, up from 44.1 per cent in 2013, according to official statistics released today (15 December) by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

A voluntary framework for consistent recycling systems across Scotland has today been announced by the Scottish Government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

Recycle Now is encouraging consumers to recycle the 290,000 tonnes of card packaging that will be used in the UK this Christmas, with six festive recycling tips.

The National Assembly of Wales will debate tomorrow on the possibility of a deposit-return scheme, weeks after the Welsh Conservatives announced that a Conservative government would introduce a pilot system.