environment Archives | The Wastepack Group https://www.wastepackgroup.co.uk/tag/environment/ Making compliance easier Wed, 20 Aug 2025 15:05:38 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://www.wastepackgroup.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/cropped-WP-favicon-32x32.png environment Archives | The Wastepack Group https://www.wastepackgroup.co.uk/tag/environment/ 32 32 Environment Secretary Delivers Landmark Speech On Circular Economy https://www.wastepackgroup.co.uk/2025/03/31/environment-secretary-speech-on-circular-economy/ Mon, 31 Mar 2025 14:15:32 +0000 https://www.wastepackgroup.co.uk/?p=8991 The Environment Secretary, Steve Reed, has delivered a speech outlining the next stages of moving towards a circular economy in the UK. The move is part of the government’s broader “Plan for Change”. In his speech, Reed pledged “to end throwaway culture” and “make reuse and repair the norm”. Central to this plan is the

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The Environment Secretary, Steve Reed, has delivered a speech outlining the next stages of moving towards a circular economy in the UK.

The move is part of the government’s broader “Plan for Change”. In his speech, Reed pledged “to end throwaway culture” and “make reuse and repair the norm”.

Central to this plan is the work of the Circular Economy Taskforce. It was confirmed that the Taskforce has identified its first five priority sectors: textiles, transport, construction, agri-food, and chemicals and plastics. The group will now engage with these industries to develop tailored roadmaps aimed at improving and reforming material use.

Reed also stated that the government’s Circular Economy Strategy, set to be published in the autumn, will be supported by these roadmaps.

Concluding his speech, he addressed UK businesses directly: “My ask from you is simple. Please tell the taskforce, and tell me, what you need from us. Then work with us so we can make it happen.”

The Circular Economy Taskforce

The government established the Circular Economy Taskforce in December 2024 to develop the UK’s first strategy for transitioning to a circular economy. The Taskforce is chaired by Andrew Morlet, former CEO of the Dame Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

Morlet said: “Transitioning to a circular economy is an ambitious but crucial goal as this government kickstarts economic growth and turns Britain into a clean energy superpower.

“I welcome the vision set out by the Environment Secretary at this critical juncture in our journey. Our Taskforce will bring together industry, academic and policy experts with central and local government to ensure we maximise its potential fully by creating jobs, increasing resource efficiency and accelerating the path to net zero.”

Libby Peake, head of resource policy at the Green Alliance and a member of the taskforce, added: “Waste is baked into our current economic system and causes us harm on so many levels. It’s degrading our environment and international supply chains to the extent that economic shocks become inevitable. It adds a cost burden to the businesses’ bottom lines and frustrates people who are fed up with shoddy products, blatant waste and litter.

“But as the Environment Secretary outlines today, it really doesn’t have to be this way, and it’s great to hear his vision for how innovative, circular businesses will thrive in the UK in future. It’s an incredible opportunity to help bring about this change as part of the government’s Circular Economy Taskforce.”

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]]> EA to Double PRN Compliance Inspections https://www.wastepackgroup.co.uk/2019/01/17/ea-to-double-prn-compliance-inspections/ Thu, 17 Jan 2019 13:47:48 +0000 http://adeptus.lbthosting.com/?p=3357 The Environment Agency said its officers will increase its monitoring activities for sites issuing packaging waste recovery notes (PRNs) in 2019. The Agency’s actions follow on from responses to criticism levelled at the EA and Environment Secretary Michael Gove over a lack of oversight for premises issuing PRNs, especially those involved in the exportation of

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The Environment Agency said its officers will increase its monitoring activities for sites issuing packaging waste recovery notes (PRNs) in 2019.

The Agency’s actions follow on from responses to criticism levelled at the EA and Environment Secretary Michael Gove over a lack of oversight for premises issuing PRNs, especially those involved in the exportation of materials for recycling overseas.

Criticism came from Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee, as well as the Committee’s chair – the Labour MP Mary Creagh, who questioned EA’s records with sites labelled as ‘high risk’ of non-compliance with regulations around handling packaging waste.

Inspections for those ‘high risk’ companies for non-compliance will be doubled in 2019, according to the regulator, with a target to carry out 160 site audits compared to 80 in 2018.

Work will be carried out to identify packaging producers that are likely to be obligated to fund the recycling of their products, but may not be paying in to the system.

Another objective will involve Agency officers visiting every ‘large’ site, which is accredited to issue PRNs – those issuing PRNs on over 400 tonnes of material.

The Agency said: “We may carry out more than one site inspection on some operators if our intelligence, or our assessment of the risks, tells us this is needed. Site inspections may be pre-arranged or unannounced. Some sites may receive both types.

“We will use risk profiling for site inspections for small accredited operators. There’s a cap on the ability of accredited small operators to issue evidence and this reduces the risks. But this does not mean that they will not be part of our site inspection compliance monitoring programme.”

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