A new report from the Fabian Society and supported by Allianz,
released today (Friday), urges the government to deliver a bold
new circular economy strategy to radically cut waste and our
impact on the environment.
The paper, Repair, Reuse, Recycle: making the
circular economy work at-scale sets out several measures
that the government should be considering.
England currently generates 163 million tonnes of waste a year.
We use around triple the UN's recommended resource use per
person.
A circular economy is a system where materials never become
waste. Instead, they are kept in circulation through processes
such as repair, reuse and recycling. This means fewer raw
materials are used in a move away from our current linear ‘make,
take, waste' economy.
But there has been a distinct lack of progress on reducing
material use. In fact, the UK's material footprint in 2022 is the
highest since 2008 at 20.1 tonnes per capita – meaning the
average person uses materials equivalent in weight to four
African elephants per year. And it is fast increasing – material
use was 15 per cent higher in 2022 (the last year data was
recorded) than in 2021.
Later this year, the government's circular economy task force
will deliver the UK's first ever circular economy strategy. This
will be a major opportunity to support businesses and consumers
to shift behaviour to more sustainable use of materials.
One key option would be to amend the 2021 Ecodesign Regulations -
commonly referred to as the ‘right to repair' regulations - to
cap the costs of repairing goods. At present, without a cap on
such costs, there is little incentive for consumers to repair
instead of replace, as the price difference can be negligible.
Such a cap already exists in the EU. This would shift the
incentives, giving consumers a genuine ‘right to repair'.
Other options laid out in the paper include:
- A target for England to reduce raw material use to 8 tonnes
per capita by 2050.
- Abolishing VAT on building refurbishments and repairs.
- Investment in infrastructure for large scale critical mineral
recycling
- Mandating all large businesses to sign up to the food waste
roadmap
Taken together, these options would incentivise actions high
up the waste hierarchy, such as the reuse of car parts and
critical minerals, preventing food waste at the outset, and
creating a major shift towards repairing buildings instead of
demolishing and building again.
Reducing waste is critical for achieving the government's net
zero targets and increasing resource security. Adopting these
options will help the government to achieve these targets while
also benefiting key sectors of the economy and supporting
consumers.
Fabian Society Senior Researcher and author of the report
Eloise Sacares, said:
“The UK's material footprint is now the highest it's been since
2008 – a sign that we are going in the wrong direction on
resource use.
“Action to reduce waste and resources has been slow, and our
so-called ‘right to repair' regulations do not work effectively
to incentivise people to repair items instead of replacing them.
A cap on the price of repairs, as is in place in the EU, would
help consumers make sustainable and cost-effective choices.
“This is just one example of how the government can take
practical steps to deliver a more circular economy, that delivers
lower carbon emissions, greater resource security, and cost
benefits for consumers.”