The House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has expressed surprise and disappointment after the government disagreed with key recommendations in its report on dealing with the growing problem of plastic waste.

The House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee has today launched a new inquiry into tackling the vast quantities of plastic waste produced every year in the UK.

Businesses, residents and organisations situated along five of the UK’s biggest rivers are being invlited to join the largest ever collaborative effort to prevent and reduce the amount of litter entering the UK’s waterways, and subsequently the ocean. 

Bristol Water is set to install eight new water fountains across Bristol - the first fountain will be officially unveiled on the College Green today as part of National Refill Day.

The government has confirmed a ban on plastic straws, drinks stirrers and plastic stemmed cotton buds in England, following overwhelming public support for the move.

A new report from the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee published today is calling for Government action to “stop using seas as a sewer” and warning that the Government’s ‘out of sight, out of mind’ treatment of the oceans is putting marine resources at great risk.

The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and a group of leading bottled water and soft drink manufacturers have launched a report today at the House of Commons, which sets out an ambitious roadmap to eliminate plastic packaging waste from the bottled water and soft drinks value chain by 2030.

The European Commission is proposing new EU-wide rules to target the 10 single-use plastic products most often found on Europe's beaches and seas, as well as lost and abandoned fishing gear, which together make up 70% of all marine litter items.

The UK Government has today confirmed that a deposit return scheme to increase recycling rates and slash the amount of waste polluting land and seas will be introduced subject to consultation later this year.

Shops and businesses around London have joined a Thames Water scheme that offers people free tap water ‘refills’ as part of the Mayor of London’s plans to reduce single-use plastic bottles in the capital.