The UK and Colombian governments have signed an agreement for a new £20-million joint-funded bioeconomy research programme to aid post-conflict developmental efforts in some of the worst affected regions in Colombia.

Industry groups have both supported and criticised Waste Minister Therese Coffey’s move to reject a proposal by the Liberal Democrats to bring in a 5p charge on disposable coffee cups to reduce waste.

The government has once again ruled out the possibility of imposing a 5p charge on disposable coffee cups handed out at high street retailers after calls by the Liberal Democrats.

The amount of waste being sent to landfill in England increased by over six per cent between 2014 and 2015, according to data published by the Environment Agency.

Funding of £400,000 from the Northern Irish carrier bag levy is to be made available to support small-scale environmental projects aimed at improving the local environment and boosting civic pride, ahead of a review of the charge next year.

Environment secretary Andrea Leadsom says that environmental legislation won’t be ‘watered down’ following the UK’s departure from the European Union and that the government’s ‘very clear’ goals on waste are not dependent on EU membership.

Plans to find an alternative location for Viridor and Grundon’s Lakeside incinerator have begun after the government’s announcement that it has approved a third runway at Heathrow.

Funding of £1.5 million is to be made available for businesses and research institutions working in the bioeconomy in Scotland to support innovative work that will help deliver circular economy growth.

Defra has launched a consultation on which of two proposed WEEE compliance fee mechanisms should be used, if any, for 2016.

The potential for a post-Brexit shake-up of the UK’s packaging waste compliance system has been investigated in a report commissioned by the Environmental Services Association.