CIWM has written to the newly appointed Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, to stress the importance resource productivity and efficiency can play in supporting the UK’s industrial strategy and in protecting our environment for future generations.
The letter, signed by CIWM’s chief executive officer, Dr Colin Church, states three priorities for Government in this area: The resource and waste management sector has a big role to play in addressing these issues.
to ensure that current environmental standards are maintained and that the UK continues to show ambition on delivering clean growth and a better environment; to embed better resource productivity and efficiency as a key strand of government economic and environmental policy; and to provide a clear and stable future policy direction to 2030 and beyond, taking account of developments in our neighbours in Europe.
The letter pays particular attention in stressing how the resource and waste management sector has a “big role” to play in reducing pollution through the improper handling of materials at the end of their life and how recycled and recovered materials, especially when processed within the UK, can help provide a buffer to increasing resource price volatility.
The letter also highlights how the sector provides over 100,000 jobs and almost £7bn Gross Value Added to the economy, but how this is being hampered through waste crime and an uncertain policy landscape.
As part of Defra’s future priorities, CIWM would like to draw your attention to the critical role that resource productivity and efficiency can play in supporting the UK’s industrial strategy and in protecting our environment for future generations.
CIWM recently identified three immediate priorities for the UK Government in this area: to ensure that current environmental standards are maintained and that the UK continues to show ambition on delivering clean growth and a better environment; to embed better resource productivity and efficiency as a key strand of government economic and environmental policy; and to provide a clear and stable future policy direction to 2030 and beyond, taking account of developments in our neighbours in Europe.
In addition, greater resource efficiency and better use of secondary resources derived from waste can support local economic development and, according to some estimates, lead to tens of thousands of net new jobs.
As an example, the average European shellfish eater now consumes up to 11,000 microparticles (and retains about 1%) of plastic each year because of the pollution of our seas and oceans.
The resource and waste management sector has a big role to play in addressing these issues.