The absence of a focus on reuse, recycling and the wider circular economy by most parties is an opportunity missed.

Commenting on the publication of their manifestos by the Conservative, Green, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties, British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA) Chief Executive Robert Fell said:

“We are pleased to see that all the major parties are committed to creating a landscape in which UK businesses can thrive and grow – both leading up to, and after, Brexit. However, while each party has distinct and interesting offerings, there is very little, if any, focus on reuse, recycling and the wider circular economy.  As a nation, we do not make the best use of the important resources we have. While this leads to a thriving export market, in the right political environment Brexit could offer the country an ideal opportunity to make more use of the plentiful resources we have.”
 

The Liberal Democrat Party

The Liberal Democrat Party is the only party to give the issue of reuse and recycling the focus it clearly requires. Its proposal for a Zero Waste Act is heartening and its focus on improving product design to facilitate repair, reuse and recycling mirrors the ambitions of the wider recycling industry. However, the Party does not show how it would reward the use of products with recycled content and seems to offer little for traditional industries, no matter how innovative or high-tech.
 

The Conservative Party

While the Conservative Party does pledge to support comprehensive rubbish collection and recycling, its manifesto offers little beyond that for businesses based in the recycling sector. Moreover, in a sector that relies on a migrant workforce, its plans to double the Immigration Skills Charge are concerning as is its lack of clarity over proposals to reduce the number of workers from the European Union.  Nonetheless, the party’s plans to reduce energy costs, to support old industries and to implement a technical-based qualification in education are heartening.
 

The Labour Party

Although it mandates the use of British steel in national projects and pledges to target the dumping of state-subsidised goods, the Labour Party manifesto does not go any further towards closing the loop to create a true circular economy by focusing on reuse and recycling. Nevertheless, its pledge to remove new plant and machinery from business rate calculations and to support weaker supply chains to create strong, country-wide industries is most welcome. For an industry reliant on exports, until a market is developed at home Labour’s commitment to supporting SMEs grow export markets is encouraging.
 

The Green Party

It is disappointing that the Green Party has not focused on reuse, recycling and the circular economy at all. Yet, as well as proposing a zero waste target with tough action promised to reduce plastic and other waste, the Green Party has also proposed deposit return schemes (DRS). By attributing a monetary value to everyday ‘waste’ items, DRSs could indeed increase recycling levels but only if the value of the item outweighed the inconvenience of action.
 

Contact
Antonia Grey
01480 455 249
07812037613
[email protected]

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Note to editors:

  1. The metal recycling sector plays a significant role in creating a successful industrial economy across the United Kingdom with thousands of business employing more than 15,000 people all contributing billions to the British economy.
  2. The metal recycling industry is proud of its role in safeguarding the environment for future generations. Not only does recycling reduce the need for new mines, it also conserves water and energy, and reduces levels of CO2 being released.
  3. The UK produces over 11 million tonnes of scrap metal each year, including steel, copper, lead, aluminium and nickel. While some of this is used in domestic production processes, the majority is exported due to the decline in the number of national foundries.
  4. As most metal can be recycled time and time again it is ideally placed to sit at the heart of the circular economy; 75% of all aluminium ever produced is still in use, and 44% of the EU’s copper demand is met through recovery and recycling.
  5. Metal recycling is a high-tech, complex and technology-driven industry that readily adopts cutting edge and innovative processes. This approach means it can deliver materials to ever-exacting specifications which, where economically viable, can see them separate metal fractions as small as grains of sand.