Preventing waste and enabling a circular economy

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 here