CIWEM: UK is behind on waste minimisation
According to a recent report by trade organisation, the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), the UK’s Waste Strategy needs serious revision if we want to minimise the amount of waste we generate as a nation. CIWEM believe the UK is ‘lagging behind’ on a number of waste issues; namely, resource efficiency and waste minimisation.
CIWEM’s report on the subject, ‘Fitting the Bill: A Manifesto for Environmental Action’ has been published ahead of next month’s General Election, and it aims to influence the green policies of the major political party leaders and decision makers. It sets out five main areas where environmental action is needed, the first of these being waste minimisation.
CIWEM believe the UK still generates too much waste, despite the fact that more waste is recycled and less sent to landfill as a result. The organisation suggests improvements to the current Waste Strategy, including increasing producer responsibility for waste, creating more opportunities for recycling and reuse throughout a more circular system and improving resource management and efficiency.
Further measures the CIWEM makes note of in the manifesto include:
• Improving waste segregation to cut down on recycling contamination
• Re-categorising recycling as just one part of an overall strategy, rather than the definitive answer to waste disposal and management challenges in the UK
• Creating more green jobs, opening up potential for skill and product development
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