COVID-19 - How the pandemic is impacting the Waste & Resources sector

COVID-19 and the Waste & Resources sector

With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic affecting every aspect of our lives including the waste we produce, there are several issues causing headaches for the Government and waste & resources sector. This blog explores some of the key challenges affecting the sector during these unprecedented times.

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New research: a bold national Plastic Packaging Plan needed to help consumers protect our oceans and create green UK jobs

Policy Connect report says zero plastic ‘waste’ export goal is needed to boost UK investment and jobs, cut emissions, protect marine life

If the UK wants to be a global environmental leader, it can no longer afford to sweep its plastic rubbish problem under other countries’ carpets, says a new report today, calling for a bold national policy framework to reduce ocean plastic overseas and boost domestic infrastructure investment, innovation and green jobs.

The report from UK think-tank Policy Connect says an ambitious new roadmap is needed to deliver a coherent circular and sustainable plastics policy that consumers feel proud of and protects marine life from UK plastic.

A system of systems approach: a crucial factor in the shift towards a Circular Economy

On Wednesday 28th of October, under the Chairmanship of Alan Whitehead MP, Policy Connect and the Resource Recovery from Waste programme held an event in Parliament aimed at introducing the findings of the research. With the goal of creating a space in which to debate how to incorporate economic, environmental and social value into government decision-making, the event gathered academics, parliamentarians and a panel of experts to discuss how to take this crucial step in the shift from a linear to a circular economy.

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What would it take for the Circular Economy to help the British Food and Farming industry?

On Wednesday 12th of September the All-Party Parliamentary Sustainable Resource Group (APSRG) held an event in the House of Commons to discuss the results of the University of Exeter Business School’s Circular Economy - South West project. This two-year research programme explored how Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the British food manufacturing industry can move towards a Circular Economy (CE) model, the benefits of a transition, and the opportunities and barriers for further progress. 

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