A new project is set to transform degraded coastal environments through the installation of pioneering floating wetlands – including a rarely trialled floating saltmarsh system in a marine setting.   The project, led by the University of Portsmouth in partnership with Southern Water, will see specially designed floating pontoons, engineered to support saltmarsh vegetation, deployed in coastal waters. Their purpose will be to recreate crucial lost green habitats in areas domin

Fishersgate based label manufacturer A4 Labels is celebrated a significant environmental milestone this Earth Day, announcing the impact achieved through its ongoing partnership with Seven Clean Seas.   To date, A4 Labels’ sponsorship has supported the removal of 3311 kg of plastic waste from the ocean, all cleared from the Indonesian coastline – one of the regions most affected by marine pollution.   The partnership, which forms part of A4 Labels’ long term eco pledge, has a

With nearly half (45%) of respondents planning to purchase an electric vehicle (EV) or other electric transport in the next five years, traditional, reactive approaches to grid management are no longer effective.   The surge in adoption of EVs is expected to dramatically increase electricity demand, particularly at the low voltage distribution level where most charging occurs. With the electrification of transport in full swing, distribution network operators (DNOs) are setti

Metsä Group has started a pre-engineering project for the first commercial biogenic, ie wood based, carbon capture plant. As part of the plant’s financing plan, the company has submitted an application for a reverse auction organised by Finland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment which distributes investment aid for clean transition projects.   The plant would be located at the company’s Rauma pulp mill in southwestern Finland, and its nominal capacity would be appr

Marking a monumental step in its sustainable development and tourism ambitions, AlUla has produced more than one million native seedlings that will be integrated into the fabric of the Saudi destination.     This undertaking, achieved through the AlUla Native Plant Nursery and Seedbank, underscores the Royal Commission for AlUla’s (RCU) commitment to restoring the destination’s natural environment while shaping how visitors experience it.   To date, more than 140,000 native p

Scottish green chemical producer Celtic Renewables has renewed its partnership with the independent ultra premium whisky distillery Rosebank, part of Ian Macleod Distillers, for another three years.   The partnership will see Rosebank Distillery in Falkirk send the pot ale by-product produced during its distilling process to the Celtic Renewables biorefinery located less than four miles away at Grangemouth.   The new agreement extends the existing three year partnership betwe

The Kraft Heinz Company has become the first branded food manufacturer to join Polytag’s Ecotrace programme – an industry led initiative aimed at improving the recyclability of packaging in the UK.   The scheme uses invisible UV Tag technology to capture data on single use plastic packaging, providing Kraft Heinz with real time insights into whether packaging is being recycled, in what volumes, and through which waste management streams.   The rollout will begin with a pilot

British master papermaker James Cropper is supporting a collaborative initiative with Little Coffee Cup and Carlisle United Football Club that demonstrates how used coffee cups can be collected, recycled, and reintroduced into the paper supply chain through coordinated, real world systems.   The project builds on the launch of Little Coffee Cup’s Big Surprise, a children’s book by Hayley Slack, produced using paper made from recycled coffee cups via James Cropper’s CupCycling

Virgin Media O2 has achieved its bold digital inclusion goals as part of its sustainability strategy, the Better Connections Plan.   The company’s innovative products, programmes and partnerships have helped one million people experiencing digital exclusion to get online. Virgin Media O2 has helped close the digital divide by providing one million people with free data, devices, and greater access to its network in rural areas. The company has achieved its ambitious five year

FESPA has launched a new anti-greenwashing sustainability guide, designed to help businesses across the print and visual communications industries navigate the ever changing regulatory landscape. It advises on how businesses can ensure their sustainability messaging is accurate, credible and evidence based – and ultimately avoid ‘greenwashing’.     The informative guide, titled ‘Understanding and Avoiding Greenwash’, is part of FESPA’s Sustainability Spotlight initiative...

SCA and the representative organisation for reindeer husbandry and Sámi business and community affairs, the Swedish Sámi National Association (SSR), have signed an agreement aimed at strengthening cooperation. The agreement is intended to develop working methods that improve conditions for reindeer husbandry while ensuring that forestry is conducted in a long term and responsible manner.   The agreement is based on an enhanced dialogue between the two organisations, as well a

Maize, rice and cassava drive more deforestation than major export oriented crops like cocoa, coffee, and rubber. This has been shown by researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, in the most comprehensive global survey of how different commodities are causing deforestation. The study confirms the major impact of meat production, but reveals several overlooked drivers of deforestation.   Food production is the main cause of deforestation in the world, but unt

A redesigned ‘plastic eating’ enzyme could help turn old polyester textiles back into useful raw materials – but only if the plastic is prepared in the right way.  In a study published in Bioresource Technology Journal, scientists from the universities of Portsmouth and Manchester report that a specially engineered enzyme can significantly speed up the breakdown of PET – the plastic used in water bottles, food packaging and polyester clothing – when it is processed at high co

A ‘Made in EU’ competitiveness model should be anchored in sustainably sourced biomass, high quality recycled materials, and European technological leadership across these sectors.   While other regions rely on coal, gas and other fossil reserves to build competitiveness on cheap energy, Europe can build a more resilient, futureproof growth model around the materials it has in abundance: sustainably managed forests, efficient recycling systems, and the industrial know how tha

Hotmelt polymers must deliver consistent performance under demanding conditions. Formulators rely on predictable viscosity, strong cohesion, stable processing behaviour, and a consistent low odour environment from batch to batch.   Licocene Terra was developed to help adhesive formulators integrate renewable carbon into their formulations while maintaining familiar processing behaviour and performance contribution. As part of the Licocene m-PO specialty polymer portfolio, it