University of Manchester engineers deploy fleet of AI-powered litter collection robots in Cheshire town, with council leaders already eyeing enforcement capabilities.

A Resource Media review of 294 English councils finds only 36 per cent are separating paper and card, with nearly half placing all dry recyclables in a single bin.

A Public Accounts Committee report finds the Environment Agency's enforcement powers have been outstripped by illegal waste crime, and questions whether regulators have the resources to manage 149 recommendations from multiple reviews.

The Scottish Government has published its circular economy strategy, setting out five priority sectors and a monitoring framework to track progress towards a net zero, nature positive nation by 2045.

Cross-party coalition in Havering writes to Prime Minister calling for legislation to give councils stronger powers over contaminated land and historic landfill sites.

The four UK governments have opened a six-week consultation on reforms to the packaging recycling note system, proposing new powers to cancel fraudulent PRNs and mandatory registration for brokers.

Regulatory reform for carriers, brokers and permit exemption holders sits alongside new enforcement powers and government-funded clearance of the worst illegal sites.

A new report from BB-REG-NET confirms that certified biodegradable plastics must pass mandatory ecotoxicity testing before reaching the market, addressing questions raised by the UK Government about their environmental safety.

Defra plans to extend powers under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act to Environment Agency officers, while fly-tippers could face driving licence penalty points under a new waste crime action plan.

New statutory guidance gives councils in England legal powers to issue on-the-spot fines of up to £500 for littering, while banning private enforcement firms from treating penalties as a revenue stream.