The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is still “looking at how” the UK will fit in with circular economy legislation.
PRW reported on Defra and the UK government’s plans to “retain Europe’s circular economy principles”, but also on the “pondering” over a “new UK-led approach to waste targets”. A House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee meet to look at The future of the natural environment after the EU referendum, and Defra’s parliamentary under-secretary, Therese Coffey, spoke about the changes coming after the UK leaves the European Union.
Coffey stated that the government “would still be involved in European discussion on whether the upcoming circular economy would apply in the UK”, but that it would also “need to write to the committee on potential 2030 recycling targets”. This comes after the UK government “relaxed statutory plastic packaging recycling targets” from 52 to 49 percent for 2016, with an “incremental” two percent increase every year until the 57 percent target is set in 2020.
Last week, it was argued that the circular economy “could add billions” to the UK economy even after Brexit, and Francisco Morcillo, Head of Public and Industrial Affairs at the British Plastic Federation, commented that “in terms of European targets, it is still unknown whether the UK will adopt the measures included in the circular economy package due to the Brexit vote.
“However, Therese Coffey has said that the UK will take part in the discussion around it as some of the proposals, such as changing the definition of recycling, could have a major impact on the UK. In terms of national targets, it was announced at the last budget that the UK plastic packaging recycling targets will be extended, with the aim of reaching 57 percent by 2020 instead of 2017. However, Defra has not officially signed this off yet and we urge the department to do so”.
Other plastic recycling industry companies shared their views, with Mark Roberts, Managing Director of Plasgran, adding that “it’s critical that government seeks the input of those who are involved in the actual recycling process regarding any policy changes”, while Nico Stillwell, Managing Director of Protomax Plastics, believes the UK must continue to lead “or we will just turn into the dirty man of Europe again. A voluntary scheme may be convenient for big business, but I very much doubt the UK public want that”.