Brexit and the UK waste industry

by | Aug 12, 2016 | News, Policy, Regulations, Waste Management

Brexit and the UK waste industry

by | Aug 12, 2016 | News, Policy, Regulations, Waste Management

What will Brexit mean for the UK?

Firstly, Brexit refers to the “British exit” after voters in Britain voted to exit the European Union.

The European Union (EU) consists of 28 member states that are spread across Europe. Primarily it is there to guarantee the free movement of goods, services, people and capital along with standardised laws that apply to each and everyone involved. Simply put: One rule for all!

Though still early days with heaps of paper work to get through before the official exit there is growing concern for what it could mean for everyone, including the waste industry.

The UK HAS NO STRATEGY BEYOND 2010 to deal with the piles and piles of waste that is building up gradually every year.

The United Kingdom is however still part of the EU’s circular economy; some of their targets include recycling 65% of municipal waste and recycling 75% of packaging waste by 2030.

Recycling targets have been on the increase and Britain is definitely a country to follow with regards to how they clean up and deal with rubbish.

Now what? What the UK waste and recycling industry needs now is a new long term circular economy policy in place highlighting the advantages of a strong resource efficient economy.

The UK exports roughly 10% (2.75 million tons) of municipal and commercial waste to Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands, and broke records doing so. Trade barriers could be instilled after the Brexit and mean a return to waste land filling. Therefore the government need to invest and implement a policy consistent with resource efficiency. We need to focus on reducing the reliance on landfill as a disposal option.
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As a waste management company

We find ourselves playing a key part in the contribution to a circular economy. Working with national house builders, civil engineers and commercial companies our aim for every project is to provide innovative solutions for the minimization of waste production, reuse of materials and recycling of raw materials.  Reduce, Reuse And Recycle.

By leaving the EU the UK would more than likely set more “comfortable targets”something that would definitely hurt the roughly 45% recycling rate that everyone has worked so hard to achieve.  In a recent article in the Telegraph it is stated that the resource minister reaffirmed the government’s dedication to the 50% recycling goal.

If Britain chooses to remain part of the European Environmental Act (EEA) most environmental laws would remain intact. Environmentalists argue that the UK is infamous for watering down guidelines and that the Brexit would undoubtedly be bad for the UK and the international environment.

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