The Know Daily - Wednesday 18 March 2026

_{Read in 4m 27s ∙ Listening to Victor Ray ∙}

This bus company is set to introduce paid leave for employees going through IVF treatment, plus staff whose partners are going through the process. We love to see companies introducing new ways to support their teams 💛

♻️ UK recycling

This Global Recycling Day, we’re tackling one of life’s great mysteries: what actually goes in the recycling bin?

How does recycling work?
In the UK, most households separate waste into at least two streams: general rubbish and recycling, with many councils also collecting food or garden waste separately. Recyclable items are taken to sorting facilities where machines and workers separate paper, plastics, metals and glass before sending them off to be processed into new materials. 

How much of UK waste actually gets recycled?
On average, UK households produce around 25 million tonnes of waste a year, with approximately half being recycled. Wales is the standout performer with a recycling rate of 57%, while England sits closer to 44% and Scotland around 42%.

However, the journey from recycling bin to new product isn’t always smooth. Materials can be rejected if they’re contaminated (most commonly with food) or made from mixed materials that are difficult to process. Experts say this means that almost three-quarters of items placed in recycling bins are ultimately burned for energy or sent to landfill instead of being recycled.

Is the current system effective?
With 89% of people surveyed saying they regularly recycle, supporters say the UK system has significantly reduced landfill over the past two decades, helped build a market for recycled materials and saved energy by not having to make materials from scratch.

But critics argue the UK recycling rate has plateaued in recent years. Another concern is complexity: different councils accept different materials, which can confuse households and lead to “wishcycling” – putting items in the recycling bin in the hope they’ll be recycled. Some environmental experts also say recycling alone can’t solve the waste problem, but that we need to prioritise reducing packaging and reusing products over simply improving recycling rates.

What is the government doing about it?
Several reforms are currently underway. One major change is Extended Producer Responsibility, which shifts the cost of dealing with packaging waste from councils to the companies that produce it. The idea is that if businesses pay for waste management, they’ll design packaging that’s easier to recycle.

Another policy, called Simpler Recycling, aims to standardise collections across England so households separate waste into the same basic categories everywhere. The goal is to reduce confusion and improve recycling quality, with separate collections beginning to roll out from the end of March. In 2027, this will also expand to collecting plastic film and bags.

So what should households recycle?
🗞️ Paper & cardboard: newspapers, magazines, boxes and cardboard packaging. Just make sure there’s no leftover food or grease.
🍾 Glass bottles & jars: rinse them out first. Avoid broken glass in your bin if your council requests it separately.
🥫 Metal cans & tins: cans, tins and foil trays are all good if you give them a quick rinse.
🧴 Plastic bottles, tubs & trays: most drinks bottles, yogurt pots and takeaway trays are accepted.

What if it can’t go in the recycling bin?
🛒 Soft plastics (shopping bags, bread bags, wrapping): these can’t usually be recycled at home (yet!), but most supermarkets have drop-off points near the entrance.
♻️ “Check local recycling” items: if the packaging says to take it to a local recycling centre, do so as otherwise they will just go to landfill. This handy guide tells you what all the different recycling symbols mean.
🔋 Batteries & small electronics: these should never go in the bin; use in-store collection points or take them to your local recycling centre.
👕 Clothes & textiles: donate clothes, shoes, and fabrics (even worn-out items) to charity shops or textile banks for reuse or recycling. You can often find donation bins on supermarket car parks.

👑 The King’s state visit to the White House has come into question, with some politicians calling for it to be delayed.

• The bigger story: The visit, expected later this year, is organised by the UK government as part of maintaining diplomatic ties with the US. Some politicians – including the Labour chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee – have suggested postponing it would be “safer” given recent tensions and comments from Donald Trump. Others argue delaying a state visit could risk damaging long-term relations, saying these trips are meant to keep communication steady, even during political disagreements.

🌎 The world’s greatest places list for 2026 has been released by TIME. Let us know what you think should feature on the list in the poll below.

🇱🇰 A four-day working week has been announced in Sri Lanka, in an effort to preserve fuel and gas reserves amidst the conflict in Iran.

👩‍🎨 “Human-made” products could soon receive a universally recognised label, as organisations respond to rising interest in transparency around AI use.

🫀A new organ preservation method could see hundreds more organs become available for transplant every year.

✈️ Direct flights between Heathrow and Melbourne are set to be launched by this popular airline. 

🎭 A special booth in the Barbican centre is showing six incredible plays for free this month – definitely worth a solo date!

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Trivia answer: A) A long lost film based on this singer’s landmark tour is set for cinema release this year.

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