Select Committee · Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Preventing waste and enabling a circular economy
Status: Open
Opened: 20 May 2025
Inquiry scope
Much of the UK economy is still linear, based on the principles of using and disposing of products and the resources used to make them. This wastage leads to widespread environmental pollution and the continual and unsustainable need to extract finite resources. UK and devolved governments have committed to developing a more circular economy which means reducing consumption and minimising waste through reuse, repair and recycling. It has launched a circular economy taskforce and has committed to further circular economy strategies. This long-term thematic inquiry will scrutinise the progress of the UK government in bringing about a more circular economy, and the work of key regulators to ensure that waste is sustainably managed. The Committee will call for evidence on a regular basis and produce iterative and focused reports throughout the inquiry. Topics for scrutiny may include, but are not limited to: packaging reforms such as Extended Producer Responsibility, Deposit Return Schemes, Simpler recycling and the plastic packaging tax; reducing the use of single use items and encouraging more ecological product designs; international cooperation and waste exports; encouraging more sustainable product imports; growing domestic reuse, repair and recycling industries; developing circular economies across different sectors, including agriculture and organic wastes such as food; efforts to lessen the environmental impact and use of landfill and incineration; tackling waste crime. If you have information or evidence which may be of interest to the Committee, please contact: efracom@parliament.uk Read the ‘Global Plastics Treaty’ call for evidence hereOral evidence sessions
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| Date | Session and witnesses | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Mar 2026 |
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; EFRA Committee
Mary Creagh MP · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
Reverend James A Cruddas OBE MCMI FRSA · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
Sally Randall · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
|
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| 8 Jul 2025 |
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; EFRA Committee
Dr Allison Lindner · Waste Law Research Group,
Dr Peter Williams · INEOS Group Ltd,
Joe Franses · Coca-Cola Europacific Partners,
Ms Helen Jordan · British Plastics Federation (BPF),
Patrick Brighty · Environmental Services Association (ESA),
Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS · University of Plymouth and Co-coordinator of the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty,
Rudy Schulkind · Greenpeace UK
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Written evidence
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| Reference | Date | Submitter |
|---|---|---|
| PWC0054 | 8 Sep 2026 | HERU Technologies |
Who gave evidence
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| Witness | Organisation | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Allison Lindner · Founder and Chair | Waste Law Research Group | 1 |
| Dr Peter Williams · Group Technology Director and Head of Investor Relations | INEOS Group Ltd | 1 |
| Joe Franses · Vice-President, Sustainability | Coca-Cola Europacific Partners | 1 |
| Mary Creagh MP · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Nature) | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 1 |
| Ms Helen Jordan · Sustainability Manager | British Plastics Federation (BPF) | 1 |
| Patrick Brighty · Head of Recycling Policy | Environmental Services Association (ESA) | 1 |
| Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS · Professor of Marine Biology | University of Plymouth and Co-coordinator of the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty | 1 |
| Reverend James A Cruddas OBE MCMI FRSA · Deputy Director Waste and Recycling | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 1 |
| Rudy Schulkind · Political Campaigner | Greenpeace UK | 1 |
| Sally Randall · Director General - Environment Group | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 1 |
Correspondence
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