Welcoming the Government's Resources and Waste Strategy

We welcome the publication of the Government's new Resources and Waste Strategy, and the wide range of measures aimed at making us more resource efficient and reducing the waste we all create.

In particular, measures to make producers responsible for the costs of waste management, reduce plastic pollution, improve recycling rates and drive down fly-tipping are particularly eye-catching, with the Government answering our calls made in our fly-tipping action plan ‘Reaching the Tipping Point’ for substantially higher fines for fly-tippers.

Allison Ogden-Newton, Chief Executive of Keep Britain Tidy, said:

"There is much to commend in this strategy, which mirrors many of the calls made in the Keep Britain Tidy’s recently published action plan on waste, Breaking Bad Habits: Moving Towards a Zero Waste Society'. In particular, we are pleased to see that our calls to introduce a deposit return scheme and reduce the country’s reliance on single use plastics are echoed in the strategy and we call on government to commit fully to introducing the desperately needed deposit scheme well ahead of the proposed 2023 deadline and ensure the scheme is one that captures a wide range of popular drinks containers irrespective of size or material.

Furthermore, following recent dismal household waste recycling figures for England showing that rates are declining once again, it’s great to see our call for greater harmonisation of the existing household recycling service is heeded in the strategy, which, if acted upon will get rid of the current array of multi-coloured bags, bins and boxes that leads to consumer confusion and drives down recycling rates.

When combined with weekly food waste collections, a move to create a consistent set of easily recycled packaging and simplified collection systems will help households across the country recycle more, something which must happen if we are to get those recycling figures up again.

There is much work to do if the stated ambition is to be achieved and strategy targets are to be hit by 2023. Keep Britain Tidy stands ready to work with government and partners, deploying its networks and expertise in support of the strategy to ensure all objectives are hit."