Local authorities across the UK are declaring Climate Emergencies, committing to reducing their carbon emissions to net zero. But how can their waste management contribute to that aim? Imogen Benson reports.

England’s ‘waste from households’ recycling rate has risen by 0.3 per cent to 45.1 per cent in 2018/19, according to Defra’s latest stats.

The Conservative Party’s 2019 manifesto proposes very little beyond the plans included in the government’s Environment Bill.

The Labour Party has launched its 2019 general election manifesto, including plans to end plastic waste exports and to back a deposit return scheme.

Banning non-recyclable single-use plastics within three years and extending separate food waste collections to 90 per cent of homes by 2024 are among the environmental policies stated in the Liberal Democrats’ 2019 manifesto.

The Green Party has included a number of policies related to waste and resources in its election manifesto, such as extending repair services and promoting the sharing economy.

Local authorities have dealt with more than one million fly-tipping incidents in 2018/19, according to new figures from Defra.

Aluminium recycling organisation Alupro warns that Scotland’s ‘all-in’ deposit return scheme could result in an extra 823 million plastic bottles being produced.

The leading trade association for the UK plastics industry has published a survey revealing that a majority of its members want to remain in the EU and believe that a no-deal Brexit will have a significant impact on their businesses.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published its annual workplace ill health and injury statistics, revealing 4.5 per cent of waste workers suffered from work-related ill health in 2018/19.