On the 27th of March Steve Reed the DEFRA Minister stood up in Docklands to give his and the Governments vision of creating a Circular economy in the UK. What was striking about his intervention was that his thinking was based on really listening to our sector and understanding the link between policy clarity and the delivery of the very infrastructure that can deliver results.
By implementing the key foundation regulations of “simpler recycling”, extended producer responsibility and soon a deposit return system we begin to have the base to develop for the first time a joined-up strategy for materials in the UK.
Strengthening our local manufacturing base through the application of an industrial strategy becomes even more pertinent in the face of trade restrictions. Industry, as our sector, thrives from certainty and with the recent supply chain shocks from first covid and recently the Ukraine conflict, stability of material supply is fundamental. The Minister highlighted several critical industrial segments where this is material risk is most acute – textiles, construction, food/agri, chemicals and plastics.
With 80% of our supply chain based today upon imports the creation of greater local circularity and capture of secondary raw materials will help develop a better and safer balance of our material supply.
The Governments’ central theme of growth runs through his vision and hopefully that after ten years of highlighting the investment possibility of £10 billion from our sector in the short to medium term the Minister will seize this opportunity and go on to ensure that his vision to end our “throw away society” continues to develop through the Circular Economy Taskforce output this Autumn.