The Environmental Services Association (ESA) has welcomed the government’s “pragmatic” decision to suspend MOT testing for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), including refuse collection vehicles, for three months during the coronavirus outbreak.

Waste sector workers should be designated as “key workers” so that they can gain access to childcare and continue to perform vital waste service roles during the coronavirus outbreak, says the Environmental Services Association.

Local authority waste services would likely be stripped back in the event of mass illness amongst waste collection staff caused by coronavirus, but services are well prepared for eventual disruption, says Lee Marshall, CEO of LARAC.

As the coronavirus outbreak causes huge disruption, Robbie Staniforth, Head of Policy at Ecosurety, explores what this might mean for producer responsibility requirements in the coming year.

The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has expanded the scope of its Food Waste Reduction Roadmap to provide growers with advice on food surplus and waste on farms.

The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has re-launched its inquiry into waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and the circular economy.

The waste sector has largely welcomed the government’s Budget 2020, though stakeholders have called for further clarity on the forthcoming Plastics Packaging Tax.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has confirmed today (11 March) that a new Plastic Packaging Tax will be introduced from April 2022 to encourage producers to increase their use of recycled material.

A new report from think tank Green Alliance has criticised the government’s plastics policy for ‘failing to deal with the root of the problem’.

New figures from the Environment Agency (EA) have revealed that the UK has missed its battery collection target by 258 tonnes.