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Daily Digest Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Daily Digest: Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Tuesday, 27 January 2026, highlights a critical intersection: while food waste dominates Wisconsin landfills, significant investments and regulatory shifts are accelerating battery tech and circular solutions across the globe.

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Today's Summary

Today's developments underscore persistent challenges and accelerating innovation. A Wisconsin report reveals food waste constitutes a staggering one-fifth of landfill inputs, emphasizing the urgent need for diversion strategies like those discussed in ReFED's latest insights. Meanwhile, the battery sector surges forward: Ford appoints Lisa Drake to lead a new energy storage business, battery collection tech advances to tackle fire risks and EPR volumes, Aqua Metals secures a multi-year supply deal with 6K Energy, and Global BESS installations jumped 46% in 2025. Regulatory pressure intensifies, with the UK warning retailers about misleading supplier green claims and rebranding its DRS as 'Exchange for Change' ahead of 2027. Significant capital flows into sustainability: Ambienta raises €500M+ for 'champions', Gigablue nets $20M for ocean carbon removal, and Low Carbon secures a $685M financing package. However, steel recycling faces headwinds with Alton Steel ceasing operations and Nucor reporting a 14% earnings decline.

Key Developments

Food Waste Fills Wisconsin Landfills

A new report confirms food waste is 20% of Wisconsin's landfill stream, highlighting the massive scale of the problem and the critical need for enhanced prevention, donation, and composting infrastructure nationwide.

Ford Bets Big on Battery Storage

Ford taps Lisa Drake to launch a dedicated battery energy storage business, capitalizing on the booming BESS market (up 46% globally in 2025) and integrating vertically within its electrification strategy.

UK Cracks Down on Greenwashing

UK regulators warn retailers they're liable for misleading environmental claims made by their suppliers, tightening the screws on supply chain transparency and forcing stricter ESG due diligence.

Battery Collection Tech Tackles Fire & EPR

Advances in battery collection technology are emerging to mitigate fire hazards in waste streams and manage the growing volumes driven by Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, a crucial step for safe circularity.

UK DRS Rebrands as 'Exchange for Change'

The UK's Deposit Return Scheme rebrands to 'Exchange for Change' ahead of its 2027 launch, signaling a focus on consumer engagement and system efficiency for beverage container recycling.

Aqua Metals & 6K Energy Seal Supply Deal

Aqua Metals (hydromet recycling) and 6K Energy (sustainable material production) sign a multi-year agreement, showcasing integration between innovative battery recycling and cathode material manufacturing.

Mega-Financing for Sustainability

Low Carbon secures $685M, Ambienta raises €500M+, and Gigablue gets $20M for ocean CDR, demonstrating massive investor confidence in scaling energy transition and climate solutions.

TOP Today's Stories

Market Snapshot

The confluence of regulatory pressure (UK green claims, DRS launch), significant capital influx (Ambienta, Low Carbon, Gigablue), and technological advancement (battery collection, Aqua Metals/6K deal) points to a maturing market. Focus is sharpening on operationalizing circular systems (batteries, packaging) and scaling climate tech, though traditional sectors like steel face volatility. Energy storage remains a dominant investment theme.

By Category

Industry News (17)

ESG & Sustainability (12)

Global Trade (10)

ITAD & E-Scrap (11)

Tomorrow's Watch

Watch for reactions to the UK's green claims warning and further details on Ford's battery storage plans. Continued focus on battery supply chain innovations and EPR implementation is expected.

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Published: 27 Jan 2026, 19:56