Tesco to phase out microbeads from its products by end of 2016
UK supermarket Tesco has announced it will have phased out microbeads from all its own brand cosmetics and household cleaning products within a month. The company said that it was listening to customers’ concerns and in the spring it had instructed suppliers to either cut microbeads from products such as toothpaste entirely, or to use natural alternatives. The supermarket will also make “do not flush” labels much bigger on the front of its own brand wet wipes, which campaigners say are clogging up sewers and causing pollution. Tesco admitted it had been “behind the game” on issues affecting the oceans and marine life, including stocking sustainable fish. It has also asked other brands to disclose what is in their products and what their intent is regarding microbeads. (Guardian)
Sustainable Development
OECD: Income inequality remains high in the face of weak recovery
A new report released by the OECD reveals that income inequality remains at record high levels in many countries, despite declining unemployment and improving employment rates. Despite economic recovery since 2010, incomes at the bottom of the distribution are still well below pre-crisis levels while top and middle incomes had recovered much of the ground lost during the financial crisis. Persistent long-term unemployment and slow wage growth prevented recovery of labour incomes among poorer households in many countries. Since 2010, income inequality decreased by a significant amount (close to 2 points) in Turkey, mainly reflecting developments in labour incomes. It increased most significantly in Estonia (by more than 3 points). (OECD)
Technology & Innovation
A shot at coffee cup recycling in Australia
An Australian waste management company has taken a successful step towards opening a dedicated takeaway coffee cup recycling facility in the country. Closed Loop Environmental Solutions has announced the end of a four-week pilot to provide bins where office workers can toss their used coffee cups. They have collaborated with researchers in the United Kingdom to develop a technology that can recycle the cups. Called Simply Cups, it can turn used cups into new plastic compounds, without having to separate the paper and plastic components. The University of Queensland estimates that more than 1 billion paper coffee cups are produced every year in Australia, and take about 50 years to decompose in landfill. (Eco-Business)
Humana launches mobile app designed to improve health and social engagement for employers
Humana, one of the US’s leading health insurance companies, has launched Goal Guru, a mobile app and web experience designed to help employers take a holistic approach to improving the overall health of employees. Through the app, employees can monitor their steps, weight and sleep, and companies can increase engagement by messaging a team or individuals to initiate a challenge. In a study with the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Humana found that employers who establish a defined workplace culture of wellness can achieve widespread positive impact on the health and productivity of their employees, while increasing engagement in company mission and goals. (Diversity inc)
Image source: Coffee Cup by tyler hendy / Public Domain
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