The system delivered 27,826 metric tonnes of aluminium and 24,835 metric tonnes of PET to material buyers in 2025. Sara Bergendorff, head of sustainability and quality at Returpack/Pantamera, said returning containers through the deposit system rather than general packaging recycling cuts the carbon footprint of the materials in half, keeping them in closed loops that preserve quality for reuse as new packaging.

High-capacity reverse vending machines, which allow entire bags of containers to be emptied at once, now account for 14 per cent of all machines but handle 45 per cent of total volume. Launched in 1984 as the world's first deposit return system, Sweden has collected more than 55 billion bottles and cans to date.

The signatories, which include CEPI, Eurofer, Plastics Europe, Recycling Europe and EXPRA, warn that the requirement to submit shipment information two working days in advance creates disproportionate logistical and administrative burdens, particularly in border regions where spontaneous shipments are common. They are calling for a harmonised EU approach, flexibility during the transition including alternative means for Annex VII documentation, and a review of the advance submission requirement.

Five additional associations representing the paper, metals and extended producer responsibility sectors joined the letter ahead of a Waste Shipment Expert Group meeting, bringing the total number of signatories to 16.

Users enter the number of specific plastic items collected from a beach or waterway to see how many animal lives would have been at risk had those items been ingested. The tool covers more than 20 types of plastic pollution commonly found inside marine animals, including fishing debris, bottle caps, straws, bags and food wrappers. It is based on research published in November 2025 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which compiled nearly 50 years of necropsy data to model mortality risk from macroplastic ingestion across three taxonomic groups.

An estimated 11 million metric tonnes of plastic enters the ocean each year, with scientists documenting some 1,300 species that ingest plastics. Ocean Conservancy said the calculator does not capture the full threat, since macroplastic ingestion is one of several pathways of harm alongside entanglement, microplastic ingestion and chemical exposure.

The Reclaim and Sustain project, delivered by Friends of Bowring Park, ran hands-on sessions across Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens and Wirral aimed at reducing household waste and changing attitudes towards repair. A Fix It Festival and Zero Waste Celebration held at Bowring Park on 7 March brought the programme to a close with live repair demonstrations and drop-in services.

Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority said the project showed the difference community organisations can make when given resources to deliver locally. A new round of the Zero Waste Community Fund for 2026/27 has since opened, with up to £30,000 available for projects working across at least four local authority areas in the Liverpool City Region.