The UK Government has been advised to focus more on a circular economy rather than recycling and waste management.
A report commissioned by environment ministers from the University of Portsmouth’s Global Plastics Policy Centre (GPPPC) argues more activity should be trying to prevent waste in the first place.
Key sectors
The report, Progressing Beyond Recycling for a Circular Economy, considers activity across six priority sectors: food and agriculture, chemicals and plastics, electrical and electronic equipment, transport, textiles, and the built environment.
While the researchers found circular economy activity growing across the UK, most efforts are concentrated towards the end of a product’s life. Much of the current focus is on recycling, improving waste recovery and encouraging changes in consumer behaviour, with fewer initiatives addressing how products are designed, manufactured and used.
Even so, researchers found that some initiatives, such as reuse systems and design for repair, were tackling the earlier stages of production and design, where the greatest potential exists to reduce resource use and environmental impacts.
The study also found that while many innovative ideas are being tested, too few are progressing from pilots and demonstrators to reaching the market at scale.
Not just recycling
Antaya March, director of GPPC, says: ‘Recycling remains a part of a circular economy, but it cannot deliver the transition on its own. Our research found growing activity across all six sectors, yet much of this remains focused on managing waste after it has been created rather than preventing it in the first place.
‘Greater attention to product design, reuse, repair and resource efficiency could help retain more value within the economy while reducing demand for new materials.’
Repair and reuse
The report identifies opportunities to strengthen the UK’s circular economy, including expanding reuse systems, supporting repair and refurbishment activities, improving product design, encouraging more efficient use of materials, and developing better ways to measure impact.
It also highlights the need for stronger links between research, innovation and commercial deployment, alongside policies and incentives that support waste prevention and value retention rather than focusing solely on waste management.
The research concludes that moving beyond recycling will require coordinated action across government, industry and researchers.
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