Novamont’s MATER-BI bioplastic carrier bags have been shown to be 100 per cent biodegradable in anaerobic digestion plants in Germany, a scientific study has shown.

The Ocean Cleanup, a Dutch project conceived to clear some of the oceans’ most polluted areas of plastic, has raised $21.7 million since November 2016, allowing the project to begin large-scale trials of its cleanup technology.

Community water refill schemes could be a viable approach for tackling plastic pollution. Bristol is setting an example for other cities with a new drinking fountain in its city centre.

The biology of a common caterpillar could help unlock the solution to the world’s plastic bag dilemma, researchers at Cambridge University have suggested.

London could look into a deposit return scheme for plastic bottles for the capital, after a report found that the troublesome products make up 10 per cent of all litter in the Thames.

The British Plastics Federation Recycling Group (BPFRG) has launched a new strategy with the aim of improving plastic recycling in the UK, retaining valuable material and creating UK-based jobs through industry-led initiatives and regulation.

Environmental consultancy Eunomia Research & Consulting has been appointed by the European Commission to run a study investigating how to reduce the effects of microplastics escaping into the oceans.

Six materials, including a bioplastic composite paper, a wetsuit made from natural rubber, and packaging made from up-cycled agricultural residuals have been announced as the finalists for Bio-Based Material of the Year 2017.

West Midlands recycling company Arrow Recycling Ltd has been fined £160,000 after a worker was left in a coma when he was crushed by a falling stack of baled cardboard.

Absorbent hygiene product recycler Knowaste’s appeal against a planning rejection for a new plant in West London has also been rejected, leaving the company assessing its options about whether to continue its search for a new development.