Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 4
4
Accepted
Explain future measures and expected contributions to doubling resource efficiency by 2050.
Conclusion
While the Department recognises the importance of waste prevention and reuse, it is not clear what its plans are for meeting its target of doubling resource efficiency by 2050. The government considers that most of the damage to the environment from waste could be avoided at the design and production stages by considering the materials used in production and the ease with which products can be reused or repaired. It has an ambition to double resource efficiency by 2050. Stakeholder’s concern is that government has not given waste prevention and re-use sufficient priority. The Department has selected seven sectors to improve reuse and recycling, including textiles, waste electric equipment and batteries. It has set out a vision and approach, but what is lacking is a clear plan to understand when decisions need to be made by to ensure it is feasible to achieve the ambition of doubling resource efficiency by 2050. Government’s programme of waste reforms 7 Recommendation 4: Within the next 12 months the Department should write to the Committee to explain: • What measures it expects to introduce next (within the next five years) to encourage waste prevention and reuse; and what contribution it expects these measures to make to meeting its target of doubling resource efficiency by 2050. • Which measures it expects could make the biggest contribution overall to its target of doubling resource efficiency by 2050, and how long it expects it will need to prepare for and implement these changes.
Government Response Summary
The government agrees, noting an amendment to the recommendation's wording. It acknowledges the challenges of long-term planning for resource efficiency but commits to writing to the Committee in early 2025 to explain its approach and progress.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee's recommendation. that the above recommendation is amended to ‘...meeting its ambition to double resource productivity’ as agreed with the Committee via email on 25 January. The Resources and Waste Strategy states ‘we want to increase the material efficiency of production and manufacturing processes, as part of our strategic ambition to double resource productivity by 2050’. The department therefore intends to increase the material efficiency of production and manufacturing processes. Improving resource efficiency increases productivity, cuts carbon emissions and enhances resource security. On resource efficiency measures, it is challenging to model potential future policy pathways in the long-term as future policies are highly uncertain and will be the decisions of future governments. The exact make-up of any future policy pathway will be a combination of measures to get waste up the waste hierarchy, including waste reduction, reuse and repair activities. The Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) laid out the department’s plans for maximising resources and minimising waste, and in July 2023, the department published the Maximising Resources, Minimising Waste (MRMW) Programme in England which sets out the department’s priorities for action to manage resources and waste, in accordance with the waste hierarchy, that will help deliver increased resource efficiency. In late 2024, the department will consult on several MRMW textile waste policies that aim to increase the amount of unwanted textiles that is reused or recycled and reduce the amount that is disposed of in the residual waste stream. The Environment Act 2021 target to ensure that residual waste (excluding major mineral wastes) does not exceed 287 kg per person by the end of 2042 can be achieved through waste prevention, resource efficiency, and recycling of unavoidable waste. The department recognises the desire to see an additional target that reduces material resource use and improves productivity and continue to investigate this. Options for reducing use of material resources have been explored through research on policies to improve resource efficiency in collaboration with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). This research focuses on 11 sectors. Findings from four sectors have been published already (Unlocking Resource Efficiency) and further research is planned regarding how legislation related to warranties and guarantees can be used to encourage increased repair and extend the use of products. The department’s research to date has not identified a clear policy pathway for significantly reducing the effects of resource extraction and use on the natural environment, which was assessed through a resource productivity metric. Similarly, metrics for monitoring how new measures achieve resource efficiency savings have not been agreed. The most impactful policies will be considered following completion of the research projects listed above and agreement on metrics for monitoring resource efficiency. The department will write to the Committee in early 2025 to explain the above recommendation.