News updates written by CIWM’s commercial partners.
| Advetec | Advetec strengthens board with industry leader to accelerate growth in evolving waste market |
| Bucher Municipal | Backing engineering with action: Why Bucher Municipal is introducing a 10-year tank guarantee |
| CWM Environmental | CWM Environmental opens new Resource Recovery Facility to support Circular Economy ambitions in Wales |
| Routeware | North Somerset wins two national awards for pioneering waste service transformation |
| Vaste | Four months to DWTS: Defra publishes list of compatible software providers |
| Vision Techniques | Vision Techniques update best-selling product to deliver greater fleet insight and operational control |
| Vizzia | The enforcement pyramid: how Richard Antcliff, ex-Harrow, shares how they revamped their approach to fly tipping |
| Beyondly | Unpacking the value of the PRN system |
| Greyparrot | Greyparrot and FCC Environment to show how AI is automating EA compliance reporting |
| Contel | Contel secures Derby City Council fleet technology contract to deliver integrated waste management solution |
| Dennis Eagle | Dennis Eagle’s bin lift repair and refurbishment services now available nationwide |
Advetec | Advetec strengthens board with industry leader to accelerate growth in evolving waste market
Advetec has appointed industry veteran Paul Cox as Non-Executive Director, reinforcing its leadership team at a pivotal moment for the waste and biotechnology sectors.
Paul brings decades of sector experience, having served as Group Chief Executive Officer of Reconomy Group for 23 years, and still remains as Founder Director.
His appointment comes as the waste sector undergoes rapid transformation. New legislation and taxation are accelerating the shift towards a circular economy, creating both urgency and opportunity as organisations seek to reduce reliance on landfill and incineration while aligning with Net Zero targets.
With deep commercial and strategic expertise, Paul will support Advetec in scaling its technology and strengthening its position as a leader in sustainable waste solutions.
Commenting on his appointment, Paul Cox said: “Advetec is tackling one of the waste sector’s most pressing challenges with a genuinely innovative and scalable solution. The combination of strong technical capability, commercial potential and clear environmental impact makes this an exciting business at a critical point in its journey.”
“With the market evolving quickly, there is a real opportunity for Advetec to play a leading role in driving meaningful change across multiple sectors.”
Paul will also support the business in expanding and deepening partnerships with waste producers and processors as demand for sustainable alternatives technology continues to grow.
Advetec CEO Lee Knott added: “We are entering a defining phase for both the business and the wider market. Strengthening our board now ensures we are well positioned to accelerate our commercial progress while scaling in a disciplined way.”
“Paul’s experience in building and leading a major waste management business brings valuable perspective. His ability to challenge and support the team will be instrumental as we execute our next stage of growth.”
In today’s drainage and sewer maintenance sector, equipment purchasing decisions are increasingly influenced by whole-life cost, asset longevity and operational resilience.
Bucher Municipal | Backing engineering with action: Why Bucher Municipal is introducing a 10-year tank guarantee
With fleet operators under growing pressure to maximise uptime while controlling expenditure, reliability has become more than a product feature – it is a business requirement.
For manufacturers, making claims about quality is easy. Demonstrating confidence in those claims is something entirely different.
This is why Bucher Municipal UK has introduced a new 10-year guarantee on its sewer cleaner tanks, effective from 1 June 2026.
The guarantee represents a significant commitment to customers and reflects the company’s confidence in the engineering principles behind its tank design.
Built using premium boiler plate steel and engineered to withstand the demanding conditions of daily drainage operations, Bucher Municipal sewer cleaner tanks have earned a reputation for durability and long service life.
The introduction of the 10-year guarantee reflects the company’s confidence in its design, manufacturing standards and proven field performance. The commitment is further supported by decades of operational experience, with many Bucher Municipal sewer cleaner tanks continuing to deliver reliable performance well beyond ten years in service.
For operators, the benefits extend beyond peace of mind. Longer-term confidence in key components can contribute to more predictable lifecycle costs, support fleet replacement planning and reduce concerns around asset durability.
As infrastructure owners and contractors continue to invest in equipment capable of meeting increasingly demanding operational requirements, the focus is shifting from initial purchase price to overall value delivered over many years of service.
Manufacturers are therefore being challenged not only to provide innovative equipment but also to stand behind the products they supply.
The introduction of a 10-year guarantee is an example of that commitment in practice. It sends a clear message that product quality, engineering integrity and customer support remain central to long-term success.
In a sector where downtime can have significant operational and financial consequences, confidence matters. By backing its sewer cleaner tanks with a decade-long guarantee, Bucher Municipal is demonstrating that confidence is built into the product from day one.
Ultimately, the strongest endorsement a manufacturer can give its equipment is a willingness to stand behind it for the long term. For customers, that commitment can be just as valuable as the technology itself.
When equipment is engineered to last, confidence comes naturally. The real test is being prepared to stand behind that confidence for the next decade.
Greyparrot | Greyparrot and FCC Environment to show how AI is automating EA compliance reporting
Learn how FCC automated critical compliance reporting processes – and future-proofed against a changing regulatory landscape:
Manual sampling has hit its ceiling, and the rules are only getting tougher. The EA’s 2024 MF Regulations raised the bar on waste composition reporting, Simpler Recycling is changing what lands on the MRF floor, and the 2027 Deposit Return Scheme will pull high-value PET and cans out of kerbside streams. Every shift has direct operational and revenue implications.
In this webinar, FCC Environment and Greyparrot share how they made the leap to automated compliance reporting. FCC Environment were among the first UK operators to submit Greyparrot’s AI-derived waste composition data directly to the Environment Agency, a landmark moment for the sector.
We will also look beyond reporting at how continuous AI monitoring helps facilities adapt to new materials, shifting volumes and changing target objects, so you can future-proof your operation against whatever the regulatory landscape brings next.
What you’ll learn:
- Why manual sampling can no longer keep pace with the EA’s requirements
- How AI waste analytics captures continuous, representative composition data across entire operational periods
- How to implement, calibrate and validate an automated reporting system, with lessons from FCC Environment
- How to use Greyparrot data for your compliance reporting
- How to future-proof your facility against a changing regulatory landscape
Register on Greyparrot’s website to secure a place on 14 July: Join the webinar.
CWM Environmental opens new Resource Recovery Facility to support Circular Economy ambitions in Wales
CWM Environmental has o2icially opened its new Resource Recovery Facility, marking a significant step forward in its commitment to improving recycling performance, reducing waste and supporting the transition towards a more circular economy in Wales.
The facility represents a multimillion-pound investment in modern waste management infrastructure and has the capacity to process up to 80,000 tonnes of material each year. It has been developed to increase the recovery of valuable resources from waste streams, helping to divert more material away from landfill and back into productive use.
Located at CWM Environmental’s Nantycaws site, the Resource Recovery Facility forms part of the company’s wider long-term vision to develop the area into a leading circular economy hub. The investment reflects the growing need for facilities that can respond to changing environmental legislation, rising recycling expectations and the demand for more resilient material supply chains.
The facility will process mixed waste materials, recovering recyclable resources where possible and helping to reduce the environmental impact of residual waste. It will also support CWM Environmental’s broader aims around carbon reduction, resource e2iciency and skilled employment within the green economy.
Sean Gallagher, Managing Director at CWM Environmental, said: “The opening of our new Resource Recovery Facility is an important milestone for CWM Environmental and for the wider circular economy in Wales.”
“This multimillion-pound investment strengthens our ability to process up to 80,000 tonnes of material each year, recover more value from waste, reduce reliance on landfill and support our customers, communities and public sector partners in meeting their environmental goals.”
“It is also a key part of our longer-term ambition for Nantycaws to become a nationally significant Circular Economy site.”
The opening comes as organisations across the waste and resources sector are being challenged to do more with the materials they manage, with growing emphasis on recycling quality, carbon reduction, resource security and infrastructure that keeps materials in use for longer.
CWM Environmental says the new facility will provide additional regional capacity, supporting commercial and municipal waste operations while contributing to Wales’s wider Circular Economy ambitions.
Routeware | North Somerset wins two national awards for pioneering waste service transformation
By combining robust analytics with frontline expertise and clear communication, North Somerset Environment Company has delivered a more resilient and efficient service model and laid strong foundations for continuing improvement over the coming years.
North Somerset Environment Company (NSEC) is a local authority trading company set up and wholly owned by North Somerset Council. From day one, their focus has been on delivering “reliable services, safety, and doing the right thing for our communities and the environment”. Whilst the company was primarily established to deliver services on behalf of the council, it also has certain flexibility to trade with third parties for a profit.
Challenge
Since its formation in 2021, NSEC has steadily grown its operational and commercial footprint, expanding into complementary service areas including driver training, clearance of fly tipping, commercial waste services and the delivery of council highway maintenance contracts.
Against this backdrop of growth, NSEC embarked on an ambitious programme of route optimisation aimed at improving efficiency, resilience and service quality. The journey began in February 2024 with the optimisation and rezoning of the subscription garden waste service. A critical early decision was to decouple garden waste collection days from residual waste and recycling rounds. This strategic change provided significantly greater flexibility within the modelling process and removed historical constraints that limited optimisation potential. From the outset, there was a deliberate emphasis on engaging frontline crews throughout the project, recognising that their day‑to‑day experience was essential to designing routes that would work in practice as well as in theory.
Project Overview
The first phase focused on building an accurate model of the current service. This involved collecting and importing a wide range of operational data including tonnages, vehicle performance, round times, property information and road constraints.
NSEC used Routeware’s market-leading EasyRoute software to support their route optimisation programme. Led by Shane Young, Project Manager at North Somerset Environment Company, the optimisation programme followed a structured, data‑led methodology.
With the baseline established, the project moved into the first draft design phase. Initial routes were created within the software using the validated data and optimisation rules. Rather than treating this as a purely technical exercise, the draft routes were presented directly to operational teams, including collection crews, for review. This real‑world feedback proved invaluable. Crews were able to highlight local knowledge, access issues and sequencing challenges that are not always visible within datasets.
Crew familiarisation and communications were central to go‑live preparation. Detailed crew packs were produced, containing route maps, route sheets and key operational notes. At the same time, comprehensive communication plans were implemented to inform residents of any collection day changes.
The go‑live phase was supported by enhanced on‑street and depot‑based resources. Detailed performance data, including round completion times and tonnages, was captured across the first three cycles. This allowed trends to be tracked as routes settled into their new rhythm and enabled evidence‑based post‑implementation adjustments where required.
Results
Earlier this year, North Somerset Council and North Somerset Environment were delighted to receive two prestigious national awards. Firstly they won the ‘Service Change at a Local Authority Level’ at the Awards for Excellence in Recycling & Waste Management for their service transformation, which built on their earlier iESE Certificate of Excellence for the same project.
A key element of the Service Change Project was a comprehensive modernisation of NSEC’s operational infrastructure. This included the full replacement of the existing operational fleet with a brand new Romaquip fleet, all new vehicles being fitted with advanced telematics technology provided by CMS, and members of their team undertaking a detailed route optimisation exercise for our three-weekly collection rounds using Routeware’s route optimisation software, which enabled smarter scheduling, reduced mileage and greater efficiency while maintaining high levels of customer service across North Somerset.
In May, North Somerset also received the President’s Special Recognition Award at the ADEPT Awards for their Soft Plastics Launch. With the change to three weekly collections, North Somerset also became the first district in the United Kingdom to begin collecting soft plastics at the kerbside, something which will become mandatory for all councils in the coming years.
Vaste | Four months to DWTS: Defra publishes list of compatible software providers
Defra has published its official list of compatible software providers for the Digital Waste Tracking Service (DWTS), confirming 19 vendors whose products have passed production approval testing against the DWTS API. The list, published on 11 June 2026, is available on the government website.
The publication comes with less than four months until mandatory digital waste tracking takes effect for all permitted waste receiving sites in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland from 1 October 2026. Scotland follows from 1 January 2027 under separate regulations (SSI 2026/145).
From the mandate date, every permitted and licensed waste receiving site must submit a digital record of each controlled waste receipt to Defra via API, regardless of whether the accompanying Waste Transfer Note or Consignment Note is paper or digital. Paper documentation is not replaced, DWTS adds a mandatory digital reporting layer on top of existing processes.
Scale of the challenge
Defra estimates approximately 12,000 permitted waste sites across the UK are in scope for Phase 1, covering transfer stations, materials recovery facilities, energy-from-waste plants, AD facilities, landfill operators, and private waste management companies. For sites currently relying on paper or non-API-capable systems, the voluntary window provides time to transition to compatible software ahead of the mandate.
Phase 2, from October 2027, will bring waste carriers, brokers, and dealers into scope, completing the digital chain of custody from collection through to final treatment.
The voluntary submission window opened in April 2026, allowing operators to test their systems against the live Defra API ahead of the mandate. Operators are encouraged to begin voluntary submissions as soon as possible to identify any data, workflow, or training issues before the mandate takes effect.
Operational impact at the weighbridge
The practical changes for receiving sites are significant. Every controlled waste receipt must be submitted digitally by the end of the second working day after receipt, via API-integrated software. Carrier details, EWC classification codes, vehicle information, and permit data must all be captured in structured digital form. Regulators, the Environment Agency, SEPA, NRW, and DAERA will have near real-time visibility of submissions for the first time, with the ability to flag late, missing, or incomplete records automatically.
Defra has also made a temporary spreadsheet-based submission route available as an alternative path. For sites managing tens or hundreds of loads each day, however, API-integrated software remains the practical route to ongoing compliance.
For local authorities and businesses that outsource waste operations, the permit holder remains responsible for digital submission. If an outsourced contractor’s systems cannot submit to the Defra API, the compliance gap sits with the permit holder.
Across DWTS readiness sessions delivered to over 70 operators in Scotland, the pattern has been consistent: most operators are still at the beginning of their preparation. Many do not yet have software in place, have not reviewed their EWC coding, and have not started voluntary submissions.
The operators engaging with the Public Beta now are the ones likely to transition smoothly. Those waiting until September will face a more compressed transition.
What operators should be doing now
The recommended preparation sequence for operators who have not yet started:
Confirm whether your facility is in scope. The test is straightforward: does the site hold an environmental permit, and does it receive controlled waste under a WTN or Consignment Note? If both apply, the site falls within Phase 1.
Select a compatible software provider. Defra’s published vendor list confirms which products have passed production approval testing. Operators should request a live demonstration and assess both cost and operational value relative to their existing systems. Some vendors hold exemptions for certain test scenarios, for example hazardous waste, so operators handling complex waste streams should verify full scenario coverage.
Configure sites, permits, and users within the chosen platform. Standardise EWC coding across all sites and set up weighbridge integration.
Begin voluntary submissions immediately. The Public Beta is the single most valuable preparation tool available. Operators who test now will identify data quality issues, workflow gaps, and training needs before they become compliance failures.
Go live from the mandate date, 1 October 2026 for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland; 1 January 2027 for Scotland.
Beyond compliance
DWTS will generate a structured dataset that has not previously existed in the UK waste sector. Every submission captures waste description, EWC code, physical form, quantity, date and time of receipt, carrier and vehicle details, and receiving site permit data.
For operators who invest in data quality from the outset, this creates a foundation for operational insight, contract management, cost control, carbon reporting, and infrastructure planning, turning a regulatory obligation into a strategic asset.
The direction of travel is clear: clean data, real-time oversight, and a level playing field for legitimate operators. The mandate is not changing. The question for every permitted site is whether they prepare now or scramble later.
Operators seeking further guidance can access the Vaste DWTS Compliance Guide at vaste.bio/dwts or contact Evans Chelal at evans.chelal@vaste.bio.
About the author: Evans Chelal is CEO of Vaste Technologies, a Defra DWTS Private Beta participant since Autumn 2025 and one of the software providers on Defra’s published vendor list.
Vision Techniques | Vision Techniques update best-selling product to deliver greater fleet insight and operational control
Commercial vehicle safety and security specialists, Vision Techniques, has introduced a series of enhancements to its VT Connect by Vision Techniques telematics platform, strengthening its ability to support fleet operators.
The new enhancements have been introduced to improve visibility, performance and actionable insight, making it a central hub where safety meets intelligence.
VT Connect is a web-based fleet management solution that provides real time and retrospective tracking, driver behaviour monitoring and integrated access to vehicle CCTV and operational data.
Recent enhancements have taken place to focus on optimising performance and expanding the depth of information available to users.
This includes significant improvements to the speed and responsiveness of retrospective vehicle tracking and improving analysis of historic journey data.
The platform now supports a broader range of digital and analogue equipment inputs, enabling more asset and equipment data to be captured and reported on.
Alongside this, enhanced data capture from OBD-enabled telematics devices provides deeper vehicle-level insights with further developments already in progress.
New intelligent alerting capabilities have also been added to allow operators to receive automatic notifications of faults, errors or issues with connected equipment, helping to reduce downtime and improve compliance.
Updates to the mapping functionality also introduce clear visual indicators of events such as speeding and harsh driving, supporting improved driver performance management.
Finally VT Connect now allows users to merge downloaded video footage into a single continuous file, simplifying incident review and evidence handling.
Mikaeel Koornhof, Technical Specialist at Vision Techniques said: “These updates are focused on delivering clearer insights and more efficient workflows for our customers.
“By enhancing performance, expanding data capture, and introducing more intelligent alerting, we’re continuing to evolve VT Connect into a central platform for fleet safety and operational management.”
Vizzia | The enforcement pyramid: how Richard Antcliff, ex-Harrow, shares how they revamped their approach to fly tipping
Fly-tipping is one of the most persistent problems local authorities face. According to Defra, 1.26 million incidents were recorded last year, and only 5% led to any formal enforcement action.
The reason is rarely a lack of legal powers. Councils can issue Fixed Penalty Notices and pursue prosecutions under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The real problem is capacity. Officer teams do not have the hours in the day to review footage, identify offenders, and build a case for every incident reported.
The London Borough of Harrow took a different view. Rather than treat enforcement as one activity, it built a structured model that decides how effort is spread across every case. Richard Antcliff, former public protection lead at the council, set out the thinking in a recent webinar.
Harrow uses what Antcliff calls a five-stage model, shaped like a pyramid. At the base, where the volume is highest, sits communication and a clear ask. Above that comes warning, then primary enforcement, then secondary enforcement, and at the top, breach and prosecution.
“If you imagine a pyramid, the breaches are at the top,” Antcliff said. “The more work you can do at the bottom around the ask and communications, the better.”
The principle is simple. Effort spent at the base reduces the volume that reaches the top, where the work is most resource-intensive. Most issues can be resolved through clear communication and education before they ever need formal enforcement.
Harrow put real weight behind the base. Its communications work included recycling guidance, leaflets designed to look like a penalty notice posted to homes around a hotspot, and door knocking at repeat locations. The council also installed secure communal bin housing with keypad access and clear recycling guidance, replacing open bins that had been misused.
Where formal action was needed, Harrow leaned on evidence. It consolidated its CCTV into a single control room and used a fly-tipping hotspot tracker, combining data and officer knowledge to direct officers to the right places. Antcliff offered one practical tip for other councils: use Section 47 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to compel businesses to manage and lock their bins, which removes a common source of dumping.
It is at the warning and primary enforcement stages that detection technology earns its place. Harrow ran a pilot with Vizzia, becoming the first UK council to deploy the company’s cameras. The system captures an incident, records and catalogues the footage, time and date stamps it, and sends it to the officer on the case.
“It can tell the difference between a bag that was not there five minutes ago and a bag that has appeared,” Antcliff said. “It automatically records that footage, catalogues it, and emails it to the officer in the case.”
The footage then feeds back into the lower stages, supplying images for deterrence communications and evidence for enforcement. As Antcliff put it, the technology is “one brick within the whole enforcement stack,” not a replacement for it.
Harrow set its Fixed Penalty Notices at £1,000, higher than national average.
The wider lesson is that enforcement works best as a managed pipeline rather than a reactive workload. Strong communication at the base, good data to find the hotspots, and clean evidence where action is needed all reduce the number of cases that reach prosecution. Technology has a part to play, but only as one stage in a model a council owns end to end.
Vizzia works with more than 250 local authorities across Europe, including Bondy and Sarcelles in the Paris region and Grandson in Switzerland. It is expanding in the UK, with a London office due to open later this year. For more information, visit vizzia.com/en.
Beyondly | Unpacking the value of the PRN system
By Alex Hilton, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Beyondly
The UK packaging recycling system is under scrutiny. Calls to reform the Packaging Recovery Note (PRN) system have grown louder alongside the rollout of Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) and amendments to Plastic Packaging Tax.
Much of this debate has been characterised by speculation and, at times, misinformation. Against this backdrop, one fact deserves to be stated plainly: the PRN system has never, in nearly 30 years of operation, caused the UK to miss a national packaging recycling target. That record is the starting point for any honest assessment of the system.
Origins of the PRN System
When the UK’s Packaging Waste Regulations were introduced in 1997, policymakers faced a fundamental question: how should producers contribute towards meeting national packaging recycling obligations? The UK opted for a market-based mechanism, one designed to incentivise recycling through the principles of supply and demand.
At its core, the PRN system creates a direct financial incentive for recycling activity. When evidence of recycling becomes scarce, PRN prices rise. This increases revenue for accredited reprocessors and exporters, encouraging additional collection, sorting, and recycling activity to help meet national targets. Conversely, when recycling outputs increase and targets are comfortably achieved, prices fall. This responsiveness is one of the system’s defining strengths: it links producer funding directly to recycling performance and directs financial support towards the parts of the market where evidence is most needed.
For producers, navigating the PRN system can be complex, particularly for larger obligated businesses managing significant volumes of packaging data and regulatory requirements. Compliance schemes play an essential role in making this system work. By managing data submissions, forecasting obligations, and purchasing PRNs on behalf of members, schemes help producers meet their regulatory requirements efficiently and cost-effectively. Through established relationships with reprocessors and deep market expertise, compliance schemes also support informed purchasing decisions and help producers navigate periods of price volatility.
Today, PSF-member compliance schemes fulfil the recycling obligations of 97% of all UK packaging producers, collectively delivering funding that supports the recycling of over 8 million tonnes of UK packaging waste each year.
Strength Through Flexibility
One of the PRN system’s most valuable, and frequently underappreciated features, is its capacity to respond, in real time, to changing conditions in the recycling market. When evidence of recycling becomes constrained due to market disruptions, operational challenges, or shifts in material flows, PRN prices respond. This sends a clear signal that additional recycling activity is needed and helps direct value towards the materials and markets under the greatest pressure.
The most striking recent example came in 2019. Following the introduction of China’s National Sword policy, major export routes for plastic packaging waste closed almost overnight, creating acute evidence scarcity in the UK market. The PRN system responded automatically: plastic PRN revenues jumped from approximately £59 million in 2018 to £253 million in 2019; an increase of around 330% in a single year. This price signal pulled additional material through the UK recycling system at a moment when market economics would otherwise have made it unviable. Without the PRN mechanism, the UK would likely have missed its plastic recycling obligations that year.
Glass markets have demonstrated the same dynamic. Glass remelt PRN revenues rose from approximately £51 million in 2021 to £140 million in 2022, as cost pressures and infrastructure constraints tightened evidence availability in that sector and the market responded accordingly.
The PRN system has also maintained compliance through longer-term disruption. During the Covid-19 pandemic, dramatic shifts in consumer behaviour altered packaging volumes and material flows significantly. The fuel and driver shortages of 2021 placed further strain on collection and logistics. In each case, the system’s price mechanism adapted, and UK recycling obligations were met.
Delivering Results
UK packaging recycling rates have risen significantly since the regulations were introduced, from an estimated 30% in 1998 to 70% by 2025, more than doubling recycling performance in under three decades. Over the same period, the system has met its overarching packaging recycling obligations every single year, including in years marked by economic downturns, global commodity market disruptions, and extreme fluctuations in raw material prices.
The financial contribution of the PRN system to UK recycling infrastructure is equally striking. In 2024 alone, the system generated approximately £292 million in revenues for accredited reprocessors and exporters. Of that total, £92 million was invested directly in recycling infrastructure and capacity; the kind of long-term capital investment that sustains and expands the UK’s reprocessing base. Since 2012, total PRN and PERN revenues have exceeded £2.9 billion; a substantial and sustained injection of private finance into UK recycling, delivered through a market mechanism rather than direct public subsidy.
It is also important to understand what the PRN system is not. It does not operate in isolation from other elements of the extended producer responsibility framework. PRN revenues are generated in addition to the disposal fees producers pay under pEPR for collection and sorting of household packaging waste. Together, these mechanisms mean producers are funding the full chain of activity, from kerbside collection through to reprocessing, that constitutes a genuinely circular economy for packaging.
Opportunities for Improvement
Supporting the PRN system is not the same as arguing it is beyond reform. As pEPR embeds and the UK’s recycling ambitions continue to increase, Defra’s current review of the PRN framework presents a genuine opportunity to strengthen the model while preserving the features that have made it effective.
Beyondly has identified two priority areas where action from Defra is needed.
- Transparency and confidence in PRN issuing and trading: The PRN market functions on the basis of accurate, timely information about supply and demand. Opacity in evidence issuance, or uncertainty about what reported volumes actually represent, risks undermining the market signals on which the system depends. Greater transparency in how PRNs and PERNs are issued and traded would improve market confidence and reduce the potential for misinformation about system costs and performance.
- Timely availability of recycling data: During 2026, the rollout of the Environment Agency’s new digital reporting platform (RPD) has created significant gaps in published UK packaging recycling volumes. These data gaps have reduced market visibility, making it harder for compliance schemes, reprocessors, and producers to interpret supply and demand signals, and added unnecessary pressure to PRN markets at a time of already heightened uncertainty. Restoring timely, reliable data publication must be a priority if stakeholder confidence in the system is to be maintained.
The key challenge for policymakers is to preserve the responsiveness and market-based incentives that have underpinned the system’s success, while identifying targeted improvements that address legitimate concerns from across the supply chain.
Looking Ahead
As pEPR continues to embed, debate around compliance costs and system design will intensify. That is to be expected, and welcomed, provided it is grounded in evidence. The PRN system is not perfect. No system of this complexity, operating across a dynamic global recycling market, ever could be. But its track record of delivering compliance, channeling investment, and adapting to market conditions over nearly 30 years, is a foundation worth building on, not dismantling.
Alex Hilton, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Beyondly, summarised:
“No system is perfect, but the PRN framework has demonstrated a unique ability to respond to market conditions, incentivise recycling activity, and support the achievement of national recycling objectives. However, more can be done to stamp out fraud and drive great investment in recycling infrastructure.
We call on Defra to thoroughly review the system to ensure the UK continues to benefit from a market-based solution that has helped drive progress in packaging recycling for nearly 30 years.”
Contel secures Derby City Council fleet technology contract to deliver integrated waste management solution
Installation programme starts across more than 40 waste collection vehicles.
Contel Ltd, a leading provider of vehicle safety, camera and fleet technology solutions, has been awarded the contract by Derby City Council to install advanced camera systems across its fleet of waste collection vehicles.
The installation programme, will see more than 40 vehicles equipped with Contel’s camera technology, fully integrated with the council’s existing Whitespace work software platform. The solution will provide Derby City Council with a single, centralised view of its waste collection operations, helping to improve visibility, operational efficiency and service delivery.
The project represents another significant milestone in the growing partnership between Contel and Whitespace, which began in 2023 when Whitespace approached Contel in its search for a testing and integration partner.
Since then, the two organisations have worked closely together to develop a seamless integration between vehicle-based technology and back-office operational software, giving local authorities and waste operators access to critical operational data from a single platform.
Andy Kelly, Co-CEO of Contel Ltd, said: “Waste collection services rely on accurate information, efficient operations and the ability to make informed decisions quickly. By integrating our camera technology directly into the Whitespace platform, Derby City Council will have access to valuable operational insights without the need to switch between multiple systems.”
“The industry has become increasingly reliant on numerous standalone technology platforms over the years. Our partnership with Whitespace addresses this challenge by bringing essential operational data together into one place, helping teams work more efficiently and effectively.”
Thomas Finlay, Co-CEO of Contel Ltd, added: “We’re delighted to have been selected to support Derby City Council on this project. Our shared vision with Whitespace has always been to provide customers with the tools and information they need, when they need them, without unnecessary complexity or restrictions. This project is a great example of that philosophy in action.”
As technology adoption continues to increase across the waste and environmental services sector, many organisations face the challenge of managing multiple independent systems, often resulting in inefficiencies, duplicated effort and increased costs.
The Contel and Whitespace integration has been designed to address this challenge by reducing technology fragmentation and creating a more connected operational environment. By combining vehicle camera footage and operational data within a single platform, waste management teams can gain greater visibility of daily activities, improve incident management and support more informed decision-making.
The Derby City Council project further demonstrates the growing demand for integrated technology solutions that simplify fleet management while supporting service performance, safety and operational excellence.
Dennis Eagle | Dennis Eagle’s bin lift repair and refurbishment services now available nationwide
Dennis Eagle has expanded its bin lifts and weighing system repair and refurbishment services. This support, helping to minimise fleet downtime, is now available from all its Service Centres across England, Wales, and Scotland.
Supported by Dennis Eagle’s growing network of field service engineers, customers will benefit from a more localised, enhanced service that ensures a faster turnaround for repairs and enables optimal fleet uptime. This includes accidental or minor damage repairs, as well as the full or partial refurbishment of any Terberg bin lift.
The service expansion follows integration of Dennis Eagle and Terberg Matec UK’s Sales and Aftermarket teams earlier this year. Each of the ten Service Centres is fully equipped to carry out this vital work, ensuring bin lifts and weighing systems are restored to the best possible working condition, extending their service life and reducing future costs with preventative care. Furthermore, the Service Centres can provide custom repair and maintenance packages based on customers’ individual requirements.
Genuine, OEM-approved parts
All components used by the highly trained technical experts at Dennis Eagle’s Service Centres are OEM-approved, genuine parts that are purpose-built for Terberg bin lifts.
Dennis Eagle is the only business in the UK qualified to work under the parameters of the Terberg bin lift compaction control upgrade (BCCU) and to a certified standard. As the predominant safety feature of its bin lifts, ensuring the BCCU remains fully compliant is critical. Additionally, it provides customers with a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty on components, giving the reassurance of reliable support should anything go wrong.
Dennis Eagle and Terberg customers are invited to get in touch with their regional service manager to discuss upcoming repairs and refurbishments.