Is Europe still firmly wedded to the linear economy?
13th July 2015
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s recent report – Delivering the Circular Economy: A Toolkit for Policymakers is a welcome addition to the growing literature on the circular economy.
Policy & Government
Resourcing the Future 2015 Conference – Austerity or Ambition?
29th June 2015
On 25 June, I joined four other panellists in a debate on “Circular Economy: what should ‘ambition’ look like?” – a session in the CIWM, ESA and Resource Association’s two-day conference Resourcing the Future 2015 – Austerity or Ambition?
Policy should focus on societal change, not interim targets
13th May 2015
The current pressure on recycling businesses exposed to volatility across various secondary raw material markets brings into sharp focus the disjointed strategic approach within in our industry.
Circular economy – opportunity or necessity?
22nd April 2015
The upcoming elections and political promises are undoubtedly the main issue for UK waste-watchers. The Resource Association’s ‘Manifesto for resources 2015‘, issued at the end of March posed some interesting and challenging suggestions for the consideration of all political parties running up to the May General Election. Having recently completed some work for the EU on systematic eco-design innovation, the
Manifestos hold little for waste-watchers
16th April 2015
Waste-watchers scouring the main parties’ 2015 election manifestos for evidence of a “Damascene conversion” to the circular economy and resource efficiency will find lean pickings, and probably view what little there is with a degree of cynicism. The Labour party manifesto makes no mention of our sector, instead concentrating its environmental pledges on carbon reduction and energy management in the
New flat recycling schemes
28th January 2015
The news that Edinburgh is to roll out two pilot schemes addressing recycling in flats will be welcomed by waste-watchers concerned over the UK’s stalling recycling rate. High-rise and multi-occupancy housing pose by far the greatest challenge to the design and logistics of collection systems for recyclates. With some 80 per cent of the UK’s population living in urban settings,
Employment in Britain and the circular economy
26th January 2015
January saw the publication of a report entitled Employment and the circular economy – job creation in a more resource efficient Britain. This, in my view, is the most sophisticated study to date into ways that the circular economy could stimulate jobs and growth in the UK. Drawing on labour market statistics and patterns of employment at national and regional
Breaking the circle
17th December 2014
With all the debate going on around the EU position on the circular economy at present, emotion can sometimes cloud our view, so it can be useful to stand back and consider the underlying reasons behind the various opposing opinions. While many in our sector are more than a little disappointed by the European Commission’s view, I can at least
A promise that must be kept
17th December 2014
Yesterday (16 December 2014), the European Commission withdrew the so-called “circular economy package”, developed by the previous Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik, amid cries of “shame” from MEPs assembled in the European Parliament. The package was withdrawn for two reasons: the “principle of political discontinuity”, a notion that, judging from the reaction of many MEPs during the parliamentary debate, evidently puzzled
Resources Minister Dan Rogerson unmoved by plea from Shadow Minister and EAC
5th December 2014
Following Defra’s proposal to levy a five pence charge on single use plastic bags (see previous blog: Bag policy should be binned), the Environmental Audit Committee’s comments on this policy were debated in the House of Commons last week. Chair Joan Walley reiterated the Committee’s conclusion that Defra’s proposals were “unnecessarily complicated” and that, in persisting with exemptions for biodegradable
