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A ban on plastic bags was placed firmly on the table by the Welsh Assembly Government yesterday. The Western Mail reports that the Welsh Government puts green issue at forefront of its new powers. The move, possibly by next March, could be the first under high-profile new law making powers. …

Mayor Greg Nickels of Seattle has rolled out an ambitious plan to further reduce the amount of garbage being sent to landfills, increase recycling and to rebuild the city‘‘s two aging transfer stations. He is also eyeing up the prospects for banning plastic bags and styrofoam. Under the agreement – …

A Brazilian petrochemical company declares it has made a plastic commonly used in flexible packaging that is based on ethanol derived from sugar cane. RedHerring reports that São Paulo, Brazil-based Braskem, a large maker of conventional plastics, said the ethanol-based, high density polyethylene plastic is made up entirely of materials …

Japanese Mitsubishi Materials Corp., Mitsubishi Corp., and Furuya Metal Co., have signed a contract to jointly develop a technology to recover platinum group metals (PGMs) from waste catalysts and other scrap. Japa for Sustainability reports that the companies aim to establish a competitive PGM recycling business as early as possible, …

During the takeover mania of 1980s, oil tycoon T Boone Pickens had famously said that it was much easier to find oil on Wall Street than in Texas. The Times of India reports that nearly a quarter century since, a host of companies are taking a similar approach by ferreting …

Plans to set up a statutory London Waste and Recycling Board have been announced by the Government. The Board will help deliver increased sustainable waste management in London. It will manage the London Waste and Recycling Fund, and may also provide advice on strategic London waste issues to London Boroughs …

GLOBE-Net reports that the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) has released its first Sustainability Report, outlining the games‘‘ environmental, social and economic impacts as well as related sustainability strategies. The report provides great detail on VANOC‘‘s efforts, and will add significantly to the debate on how the games are being …

Teenagers agree climate change is greatest global challenge but still expect better lifestyle than their parents. According to a new international study from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), two thirds of teenagers today see the recycling industry as the most likely to enjoy the greatest growth in the …

Recycling rates have risen, and the UK is on schedule to meet EU targets, but the key to dealing with our escalating waste problem lies in changing our buying habits and our attitudes to consumption, according to the authors of a new Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) publication. The …

The Mayor of Seattle recently published the results of a study to show how Seattle can get its recycling strategy back on track. Three major goals of the study were to: provide an objective, third-party evaluation of Seattle‘‘s work to date identify potential strategies that could push Seattle beyond its …