In this issue, our features reveal a proactive approach to tackling legislation and standards. Professor Mark G Stewart from the University of Newcastle, Australia, provides insight into a project funded by Think Brick Australia. The aim is to analyse the structural reliability of clay brick masonry walls in compression, questioning existing design standards in the country. The team believes the codes are too conservative in terms of safety, and amendments could save costs.

Meanwhile, Christophe Sykes of Tiles & Bricks Europe, based in Brussels, Belgium, navigates through a myriad of relevant European legislation, and explains how industry can exert its influence.

In news we look at a test manufacturing facility for ‘carbon-negative’ masonry bricks made from recovered aggregates and an innovative binder based on vegetable oil. We also report on research at the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry at the University of Mainz, Germany. Here, scientistis are trialling deposits of Opalinus clay found in Switzerland and the southern part of Germany to store radioactive plutonium and neptunium waste from nuclear power plants.