Sustainability

The Refill Revolution: UK Coalition Unveils Scalable Solution to Cut Single-Use Plastic

The fight against single-use plastic is taking a major step forward in the UK, as The Refill Coalition unveils a groundbreaking, standardized solution to deliver refills at scale for both in-store and online shopping.

India generates approximately 26,000 tonnes of plastic waste daily, presenting a significant environmental challenge that affects landfills, waterways, and ecosystems. Mohd Suhail’s Athar Packaging Solutions is transforming this waste into affordable, eco-friendly packaging, having partnered with over 700 businesses across 60 cities since its launch in 2020.

The company’s success aligns with India’s ambitious recycling goals, which aim to increase the recycling rate from 30% in 2024-25 to 80% by 2027-28 under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework.

Visycell is a fibre-based thermal insulation liner which, like EPS, has strong thermal and cushioning qualities. Unlike EPS, Visycell has the added benefit of being recyclable through kerbside recycling bins.   

Made in Melbourne’s west from cardboard waste offcuts, it has been specifically designed for Australia’s hot climate to keep temperature sensitive food and beverages safe and fresh.  

In a win for the circular economy, Viva Energy and Intersnack ANZ are set to make new plastic snack packaging from used cooking oil collected by Cleanaway.

Viva Energy produced its first ISCC PLUS certified mass balanced bio-based polymer following the successful processing of a batch of used cooking oil (UCO) at its Geelong refinery. It is the first time UCO has been used to create bio-based polymers through Viva Energy’s catalytic cracker and adjacent polypropylene plant.

Peggy Johnson, the CEO of Agility Robotics, spoke with journalist Bob Safian on the Rapid Response podcast about the future of humanoid robots. She talked about Digit, a human-like robot made to help in warehouses and other places where it’s hard to find people to do boring or repetitive work. These robots don’t replace jobs—they help people do more and move into better, more digital roles, like managing robot systems.

“Sustainability is a core value, from our responsibly sourced ingredients to our efforts to make plant-based eating more accessible. With this year’s Earth Month campaign, we hope to inspire more consumers to consider the environmental benefits of plant-based foods,” said Ellen Kim, director of marketing communications & consumer insights at Pulmuone.

Manufactured in the UK using a unique foaming technology, FOAMO is an ultra-light reusable coffee cup designed to reduce reliance on disposable cups. Made from plant-based materials including waste cooking oil, it requires 85% less virgin plastic than standard reusables and is 100% curb side recyclable at the end of its life.