Paul Foulkes-Arellano

3️⃣ weeks until we launch the Current State of Sustainable Procurement publication! The publication will feature tools, case studies and insights to help companies reduce waste, restore ecosystems and build more sustainable supply chains. 🌍 The publication will highlight practical tools to support environmental ambition in procurement, including the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Circular Economy Procurement Toolkit, SBTi Guidance on Engaging Supply Chains for Decarbonization, and Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool. ✨ Stay tuned for guidance across all three ESG pillars of sustainability. #SustainableSupplyChains #ClimateAction #GlobalGoals #UNGlobalCompact

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Has the progress of the circular economy stalled?  Certainly not - it is moving forward every week! ♻️ Textiles: Last week the EU decided to introduce Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for textiles. This means that producers who want to trade in the EU have to cover costs of collecting, sorting and recycling. 👍 Automotive sector:  New vehicles need to be designed in a circular way: part replacement, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacturing, and recycling has to be made easy. Furthermore, each new vehicle type should contain a minimum 20% of recycled plastic.  💯 Circular Economy Act is about enhancing EU’s economic security and competitiveness. It will improve the free movement of circular products, secondary raw materials and waste, in addition to stimulating demand for high-quality recycled materials. You can still submit your views - public consultation period is open almost for another 2 months. ❓ Impact for businesses: 👉 Understand what circularity means and start integrating relevant circularity aspects into your R&D process. 👉 Make sure the management team is updated on circular business models. Links to sources in comments: #economíacircular #circulardesign #circulareconomy #EU #diseñocircular #competitiveness 

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Excellent piece on the growing evidence that microplastics pose horrible health risks 🤢 , juxtaposed against the latest failure to establish a global agreement on plastics here from Simon Mundy. As he points out, the plastic producers resist any cap on production, and want a focus on recycling. "Mensink said his group wanted “a treaty that keeps plastics in the economy and out of the environment” — as though it were simple to sever the link between the two. After decades of industry talk about a circular plastic economy, the global plastic recycling rate is just 9 per cent." Meanwhile, the consumer facing companies that actually get BLAMED for exposing us to plastic, have very different agendas: "The position of the big consumer goods companies is somewhat different. A food or toiletries business that wants to replace plastic with more sustainable materials could face an increase in its costs, potentially weakening its competitive position. If the whole market is forced in that direction, however, the shift would look less risky. And for businesses like Unilever that operate in scores of countries, an overarching global plastics framework would be much easier to work with than a patchwork of wildly differing regulations." Sadly, it looks like the patchwork of different and contradictory regulations is what is coming. This is now the global landscape for responsible business. Managing misalignment and conflicting agendas. https://lnkd.in/dkNQdc9F

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🎽 Policy alone won’t save our textiles. Germany’s EPR scheme needs a united industry strategy - before 2028. We can’t afford to wait for regulation to fix sorting and recycling bottlenecks. Industry-led pilots and investment must start today to meet tomorrow’s policy demands. In our new episode, Julia Haas, Marie Nawrocki, Steffen Gerlach, Sophie Herrmann, and Carl Warkentin explore what it will take to turn EPR from legislation into action. Here’s what you’ll hear in this panel discussion: ⚠️ Why infrastructure gaps matter, and what must be built ahead of 2028 💲 What makes EPR fee allocation complex, and how it impacts investment 🛠️ What industry-led pilots can do to shape how the final scheme performs in practice This episode was recorded at the CIRCULAR REPUBLIC FESTIVAL 2025 and is part of our series in partnership with CIRCULAR REPUBLIC. 🎧 Full episode available on the Circularity.fm website, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Link in the comments 👇 #CRF25 #CircularEconomy #Textiles #EPR

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“Despite the valiant efforts of the Chairs, Co-chairs, co facilitators and the country delegations, the British Plastics Federation (BPF) is deeply disappointed that INC-5.2 in Geneva concluded without agreement on a Global Plastics Treaty.  The BPF has consistently supported the development of an ambitious, effective, and practical treaty that addresses plastic pollution across the entire life cycle of plastics, advances the circular economy, and delivers genuine environmental benefits. Plastic has no place in the open environment, and industry must play a central role in addressing this challenge. A legally binding international framework could have provided the clarity and coordination needed to drive measurable global progress, assure society that critical issues are being addressed and provide certainty to industry. While the lack of an agreement at this stage is a missed opportunity, the BPF calls on all governments to maintain momentum, persevere further with discussions, maintain the spirit of cooperation shown in earlier discussions, and continue to work towards a comprehensive and effective treaty. The BPF will continue to support DEFRA and the UK delegation, offering technical expertise and industry insight to help shape a workable, science-based framework that is both environmentally ambitious and economically viable. The UK plastics industry stands ready to collaborate internationally, share best practices, and advance solutions that prevent pollution, improve resource efficiency, and foster innovation.”

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Spanish research institute AIMPLAS · Technological Institute of Plastics has developed a digital passport for plastic products in response to the EU’s Ecodesign Sustainable Products Regulation. Packaging Insights speaks to Sandra Ramos Quiros, a circular economy researcher at Aimplas, about its digital passport technology and how businesses can integrate it in their plastic packaging to meet EU requirements. #plasticpackaging #circulareconomy #sustainability #packagingtechnology #recyclablepackaging Reported by Milana Nikolova. Curious to learn more? Click the link in the comments to read the full article 👇

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♻ 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝗘𝗣𝗥) — 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 ♻ Every waste stream tells a story - and we’re helping brands rewrite it sustainably. At Recity, we provide end-to-end EPR solutions that empower producers to take responsibility for the waste they generate - not just as a mandate, but as a mission. Here’s how we close the loop across waste categories: 🧴 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙒𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚 – Collected, sorted & recycled to return to the value chain 💻 𝙀-𝙒𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚 – Safe disposal & recovery of electronics 🔋 𝘽𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙒𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚 – Scientifically managed to reduce environmental hazards 🛞 𝙒𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚 𝙏𝙮𝙧𝙚𝙨 – Channelized into circular reuse/recycling 🛢 𝙐𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙊𝙞𝙡 – Compliant collection & eco-safe processing 📊 With 75,000 MT+ of waste managed across India, our tech-enabled systems ensure traceability, compliance, and circular impact. 💡 Whether you're a brand, producer, or sustainability leader — partner with us to make EPR not just a checkbox, but a change-maker. 🌐 www.recity.in | ✉ [email protected] 📞 ‪+91 88794 50649‬ #ExtendedProducerResponsibility #EPRIndia #SustainableSolutions #Recity #CircularEconomy #WasteToResource #Ewaste #PlasticWaste #UsedOil #TyreRecycling #BatteryWaste #PWMCompliance #Sustainability #PlasticWaste #PIBO #PWPs #MOEFCC #CPCBUpdate #ComplianceDeadline #ActNow #EPRPlasticPackaging #PWMRules #EPRCompliance #CPCB #PlasticWasteManagement #RegulatoryUpdate #BrandOwnerCompliance #SustainabilityCompliance #Recity

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The European Commission plans to restrict the use of certain names by plant-based alternatives, stating it will enhance transparency to consumers. But are consumers really confused? The answer is NO! 94% actively choose plant-based products knowingly, and over 80% clearly understand what labels like "vegan" and "vegetarian" mean. Plant-based foods are labelled according to the EU’s legal framework, which ensures clarity and trust. As previously ruled by a court, such a ban would contravene this framework. A ban on such names would only create costly rebranding obligations, putting a disproportionate financial burden on companies that are bringing innovative and sustainable products to the market and undermining the competitiveness of the EU plant-based products market. The European Commission’s proposal to limit the use of plant-based alternatives is based on misled narratives coming from the agri-sector and not on claims by consumers. ProVeg International

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❓How can Extended Producer Responsibility (#EPR) schemes truly accelerate Europe’s circular economy? ♻️ As member of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform, EuRIC has co-drafted a new White Paper on EPR schemes together with the Economic Incentives Leadership Group. Titled “EPR schemes. Current state and recommendations for improvement,” the paper maps today’s regulatory landscape and functioning of EPR while presenting 8 actionable recommendations for their improvement and expansion. Key recommendations include: ✅ Giving recyclers & waste managers a seat in PROs’ governance ✅ Reflecting the full environmental & social costs of products ✅ Combating free-riding effectively ✅ Ensuring transparent & efficient tender procedures ✅ Harmonising EPR rules across the EU ✅ Supporting eco-modulation of fees ✅ Integrating EPR with other economic policy tools ✅ Fully applying the polluter-pays principle (via Art. 8a WFD) Clear recommendations. Stronger EPR. A step closer to making circularity work. Read the full paper here 👉 https://euric.link/dzj

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🌍 New York Climate Week just wrapped up, and it was one of the largest yet. Record attendance showed both urgency and challenge. Much of the debate centered around China’s climate targets: as traditional actors fade, global collaboration is becoming more fragmented, with multiple crises competing for attention. We observe that many organizations are facing resource pressure, even downsizing sustainability teams. While sustainability teams are under pressure, science says 1.5°C is slipping out of reach. The crisis isn’t slowing down and neither will we. In this environment, those who continue to who keep driving this agenda, deliver on commitments, and make real progress will not only help close the climate gap but will also gain a decisive long-term edge over innovation and adoption of new solutions. Yes, the challenge is steep, but we do not have any alternative to action and opportunities are undeniable.

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