Considered one of the greatest environmental risks to health, air pollution is laden with fine particulate matter that causes cardiovascular and respiratory disease, cancers, and substantial mortality. Cleaning up our air demands concerted action by local, national, and international level policy makers. A 2023 briefing from the United Kingdom Without Incineration Network (UKWIN) examined claims and assumptions about the health impacts of ‘Energy from Waste’ incinerators, in particular their emi

Waste incineration in the UK has increased five-fold in the 20 years between 2001 and 2021. It is a major part of the UK's waste disposal operations for residual waste that falls outside the scope of reuse and recycling.Although incineration is seen as a better alternative to landfill, the UK Government recognizes the need for stringent requirements to be met for the construction of new facilities. More incinerators would undermine new waste management schemes such as Simpler Recycling, the Depo

You might have heard about Scotland’s ‘black bag’ waste ban. The ban is set to cover all biodegradable municipal waste (BMW), in both the domestic and commercial sectors. BMW encompasses the significant portion of municipal waste that breaks down naturally, e.g. food waste, garden waste, paper, cardboard, and natural fibres.But you may question: isn’t waste breaking down naturally a good thing? After all, isn't biodegradable waste preferable to plastics and metals that persist and pollute? The a