I am inspired by the many great repair and reuse initiatives up and down the country, where people are empowered to restore products and learn skills for the future at the same time.
This includes the fantastic Emmaus in Bolton.
However, I know that far too often, products are made with components that will fail and either cannot be repaired or can only be fixed by the original manufacturer. I want to see us build things that are made to last.
For too long, our economy has been stuck in a linear mindset, where the full costs of environmental impacts are not factored in. We need to end our ‘throwaway’ society, clean up Britain and work towards a zero-waste economy, where resources are kept in use for longer through reuse, repair and recycling.
I am very pleased to see that the Government has banned wasteful single-use vapes starting in June 2025 and will introduce a Deposit Return Scheme for plastic and metal drinks containers from October 2027. It also plans to extend producer responsibility obligations to online marketplaces like Amazon.
Environment Ministers have also announced that they are prioritising the development of a ‘circular economy’ strategy for England. A taskforce of experts is considering how we can promote efficient and productive use of resources, minimise negative environmental impacts and support and encourage greater reuse and repair. It will look at construction, textiles, plastics, transport, agri-food and the chemicals industry.
The Minister for Nature, Mary Creagh, has said:
“This Government is committed to transitioning to a circular economy. We have convened the Circular Economy Taskforce, comprising experts from industry, academia, and civil society, to help develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. The strategy will be accompanied by a series of roadmaps detailing the interventions that the government and others will make on a sector-by-sector basis.
“Defra recognises that repair and reuse are fundamental tenets of any circular economy, and a successful transition aims to eliminate waste and promote sustainability through reuse and resource efficiency. The Circular Economy Taskforce will consider the evidence for appropriate action right across the economy throughout the development of the Strategy.”
I look forward to seeing what will be included in the Circular Economy Strategy, when it is published, and what other proposals the Circular Economy Taskforce will bring forward.
Reducing waste in our economy is beneficial to both the environment and the economy itself. I therefore welcome the Government’s movement towards a circular economy.