Reed pledges to “end throwaway society” working with business to slash waste, boost growth and clean up Britain

A new plan to transform the nation's economy by slashing waste across industry will be unveiled today (Thursday 27 March) in a speech by Environment Secretary Steve Reed.

Speaking to industry leaders from the likes of Mace, British Land, Jaguar Land Rover, the Food and Drink Federation and the Environmental Services Association, at the Dock Shed in London, Environment Secretary Steve Reed will set out how the government will provide the direction and certainty for businesses to plan and spearhead the nation's transition to a truly circular and future-proof economy. This will deliver growth and fundamentally shift our relationship with the goods we use every day – making reuse and repair the norm and ending the throwaway society.

He will underline how introducing the seismic shift to a circular economy – where innovation is paramount – is now essential in delivering real change in communities across the country, with recycling rates stagnating and far too much waste going to landfill or being burned in incinerators.

To kickstart the nation's move to a circular economy, an independent Circular Economy Taskforce – chaired by Andrew Morlet, former CEO of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation – was established to bring together the brightest minds from industry, academia and civil society to tackle this challenge head on.

The Government has now confirmed the first five priority sectors that the taskforce will focus on to make the greatest difference – textiles, transport, construction, agri-food and chemicals & plastics.

Delivering on businesses' calls for more government leadership, the Taskforce will now work with these sectors to create a series of specific roadmaps to improve and reform the approach to using materials, underpinned by a Circular Economy Strategy which will be published in Autumn. Both the roadmaps and Strategy will give businesses certainty to plan and the confidence to build and invest in new infrastructure.

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed said:

It's time to end Britain's throwaway society – the status quo is economically, environmentally, and socially unsustainable.

Moving to a circular economy is a pivotal moment for British businesses to innovate, grow and lead the world, so we can slash waste and strengthen supply chains.

My vision for delivering a truly circular economy is an important step in kickstarting this path to change. That is why we are bringing together the brightest minds from industry, academia and civil society to deliver this, which won't just clean up our streets and reduce the need for landfill and incineration, but help us cut carbon emissions, create new jobs and increase business profitability.

The case for making this transition is clear – underlined by stable government leadership, businesses will be given the freedom to harness their world-leading entrepreneurial spirit, by allowing them to unlock new technologies and ensuring the right infrastructure is in place to maximise what they offer.

Sectors will also benefit from untapped profit streams, while being vital in delivering the Government's Plan for Change and mission to boost economic growth, helping to revitalise towns and cities with new investment. This will create the industries of the future and thousands of highly skilled, well-paid jobs to support them in the long term.

Recent events, like Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, have also shown that international supply chains are at greater risk from global instability. Embracing a circular economy will secure our national security in an increasingly unstable world, ensuring local supply chains are toughened up and more of the resources we produce are used, rather than relying on the 80% of materials we import from abroad.

The Government's waste reforms, which include an overhaul of collection and packaging regimes, represent progress in moving the nation to a circular economy and work will continue to make sure they work for businesses. Together these reforms will generate an estimated £10 billion investment in new recycling infrastructure and create 21,000 green jobs. 

From innovative tech start-ups turning waste into valuable materials, to community enterprises giving used goods a second chance, British businesses are already showing what is possible when this forward-thinking approach is adopted.

However, the government inherited an economy in need of fresh ideas, and bold approaches – challenges which will be met through the circular economy transition, while contributing to the government's Plan for Change and moving us on the path to Net Zero.

Andrew Morlet, chair of the Circular Economy Taskforce, said:

Transitioning to a circular economy is an ambitious but crucial goal as this Government kickstarts economic growth and turns Britain into a clean energy superpower. 

I welcome the vision set out by the Environment Secretary at this critical juncture in our journey. Our taskforce will bring together industry, academic and policy experts with central and local government to ensure we maximise its potential fully by creating jobs, increasing resource efficiency and accelerating the path to net zero.

Libby Peake, head of resource policy at the Green Alliance and member of the Circular Economy Taskforce, said:

Waste is baked into our current economic system and causes us harm on so many levels. It's degrading our environment and international supply chains to the extent that economic shocks become inevitable. It adds a cost burden to businesses' bottom lines and frustrates people who are fed up with shoddy products, blatant waste and litter.

But as the Environment Secretary outlines today, it really doesn't have to be this way and it's great to hear his vision for how innovative, circular businesses will thrive in the UK in future. It's an incredible opportunity to help bring that about this change as part of the government's Circular Economy Taskforce.

The sectors were chosen as the first ones for intervention after the Taskforce analysed extensive evidence, which found they had the best potential to generate major economic gains, while protecting the environment and delivering Net Zero. 

This comes as senior officials from the UK Government, Dutch Government and City of London Corporation came together at Mansion House yesterday to set out a path towards closer working to finance the move to a circular economy.