The UK government must take the lead in creating domestic secondary markets for recyclable plastic waste as China places bans the import of 24 grades of solid waste, says the Resource Association.

New research shows that David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II series was an effective catalyst for increasing public awareness of the environmental damage caused by plastic pollution.

Environmental charity Hubbub will work with coffee giant Starbucks to trial a five pence charge, while industry commenters say wider reform is needed to effect change.

In its new report, the Environmental Audit Committee has advised the government to apply a 25 pence levy to disposable coffee cups in order to recycle them all by 2023.

The UK’s first Seabin is collecting debris, including microplastics, from the water around Portsmouth’s Camber Dock.

Chinese restrictions on imports of 24 grades of solid waste were adopted on Monday and are set to cause significant discomfort in the UK recycling sector, with the Recycling Association saying that stockpiled plastics are already building up in members’ yards.

The UK needs a nationwide deposit return scheme for plastic bottles and overhaul producer responsibility rules if it is to turn back the tide on plastic waste entering the environment, according to Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee.

The packaging industry is celebrating after EU negotiations ruled that packaging would retain its Internal Market legal base, making it harder for national governments to introduce unilateral bans for environmental reasons.

Dreaming of a green Christmas? Recycling your festive leftovers needn’t be a hassle with Resource’s Christmas recycling tips.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove has reportedly laid out plans to make recycling easier for families by requiring greater consistency in recycling collections across the UK, as well as reducing the total amount of plastic used in the UK, as part of a four-point plan.