The UK had the tenth highest recycling rate in Europe in 2015, while Germany maintained its top position, according to figures published by the European Union.

The Chinese government is set to invest £29 billion in establishing better waste practices over the next three years to address the levels of soil and water pollution caused by growing landfills.

A new European Remanufacturing Council has been launched with the aim of more than doubling the rate of remanufacturing across Europe, as well as promoting awareness and understanding of the remanufacturing industry.

The European Commission’s roadmap for an EU strategy on plastics in the circular economy does not get to the root of the plastics problem, according to a coalition of environmental groups.

European Commission VP Frans Timmermans says “good progress” is being made on developing a circular economy in Europe and announces a new finance support platform for circular projects.

The UK’s most heavily-concentrated area of offices is to be targeted for Hubbub’s Square Mile Challenge, providing specialist bins to boost the recycling of takeaway coffee cups.

Consumer goods company Procter & Gamble is producing a limited run of recyclable shampoo bottles made from recycled beach plastic in what it says is ‘the first major step’ in establishing a supply chain taking in plastic waste collected from beaches by charities.

The Prince of Wales has voiced his support for bottle deposit schemes, after backing Sky’s Ocean Rescue campaign against marine plastic.

MEPs have voted in favour of a 70 per cent recycling and reuse target for 2030, upping the goal proposed by the European Commission in its Circular Economy Package.

Stakeholders have been told that the government expects the EU’s Circular Economy Package to apply to the UK, as the European Parliament convenes this week for a vote on the package’s legislation.