This report, for the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, results from our study of the current status of bio-based and biodegradable plastics in Denmark and builds on similar work undertaken for the Norwegian Environment Directorate. The Danish Government has a consolidated action plan for plastics as a result of its 2018 [...]

This report, for  Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) aims to estimate any achievable positive impact that could be associated with extension of the current bottle bill, in terms of scope and deposit level. Since 1973, Vermont has had a deposit refund system (DRS), also known as a bottle bill, [...]

This report, commissioned by the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association, Canadian Stewardship Services Alliance, City Edmonton, and City of Calgary, results from our study of extended producer responsibility (EPR) for residential packaging and paper products (PPP) in Alberta, with a view to informing Alberta’s transition to a circular economy. It includes [...]

This report results from a project for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) in which we assessed the pathways, fate and environmental impact of microplastics in Scotland. Specific objectives of the project were to: appraise the main environmental risks posed by microplastic pollution in Scotland’s terrestrial, freshwater and marine environment; [...]

This report focuses on the development of methods for demonstrating achievement of the separate collection targets for beverage bottles in Article 9 of the Single Use Plastics Directive. Our research highlights the legal and calculation issues surrounding the separate collection targets, and provides the European Commission with clear recommendations for [...]

This report critiques the methodology of the report, Impact Study of NYS Bottle Bill Expansion, published in November 2019, which assessed the costs and benefits of adding glass wine and liquor bottles to New York State’s deposit system. Our review found that, as with the majority of research in this [...]

This special report explores the relative costs and environmental benefits of introducing electric Refuse Collection Vehicles (RCVs) as a replacement for the current standard diesel option. Our researchers found that, as the cost differential between diesel and electric RCVs is now marginal, there is a strong case for introducing eRCVs [...]

This summary report explores potential loopholes in the European Commission’s Single Use Plastics Directive. The research found that that certain ‘natural polymers’ could be exempted under the Directive’s definition of plastic, including those likely to have similar negative effects on the environment as their synthetic counterparts. If taken forward, the [...]

This report supports the summary report What is Plastic? A Summary Report Exploring the Potential for Certain Materials to be Exempted from the Single Use Plastics Directive. The EU Single-Use Plastics (SUP) Directive focuses on reducing plastic pollution from single-use items, particularly in the marine environment. In order to determine [...]

This report examines the economic and employment impacts of Iowa’s deposit return system. The report firstly examines the economic impact of, and the jobs created by, the current system. It then goes on to identify the economic and employment benefits resulting from implementing a modernized system with an expanded scope, [...]