Politics

At the BIR London Convention’s “Workshop on the Bulgarian Eco-Tax on Second Hand Clothing” on 8 October 2018, the Bulgarian Association of Recyclers and Traders of Second Hand Clothes (ARTSHC) explained the proposed changes to its national laws affecting second hand clothing.

The theme of next year’s Global Recycling Day will be „Recycling into the future“, focusing on „the power of youth, education and innovation in ensuring a brighter future for the planet.

The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) has launched the Global Recycling Foundation at its World Recycling Convention in London, where it also invited members to become the first cohort of Foundation „Friends“ when they donate.

The very first International E-Waste Day is being held on the 13th October to promote the correct disposal of electrical and electronic equipment throughout the world.

The new World Bank report, “What a Waste 2.0,” gives a clear and indisputable case for waste reduction, according to an international network of NGOs and waste experts, the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA).

Waste management company Waste Cost Reduction Services (WCRS) Ltd has called for a more consistent approach to recycling across the United Kingdom following a recent report by the BBC into the variations in recycling practices.

Without urgent action, global waste will increase by 70 percent on current levels by 2050, according to the World Bank’s new What a Waste 2.0: A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management to 2050 report.

Following the European Parliament’s plenary session on September 13, FEAD, the European Federation representing the European waste management industry, welcomes the positive vote on the draft own-initiative report on a European strategy for plastics in a circular economy by rapporteur MEP Mark Demesmaeker.

Incentives to collect marine litter at sea, new EU-wide standards and definitions for biodegradability and compostability, and a complete EU ban on oxo-degradable plastic by 2020 are among the proposals set out in the non-binding draft resolution, adopted on Thursday with 597 votes to 15 and 25 abstentions.

Dr.Ir Alain Vassart, General Secretary of the European Battery Recycling Association EBRA, will be a panel member at this year’s ICBR. He has already given some advance insights into how he assesses the current market situation.

New emissions and efficiency standards will help national authorities to lower the environmental impact of the largest waste treatment installations in the EU, dealing with both hazardous and non-hazardous waste. This represents around 4,000 installations.