The decade preceding the enactment of the 2018 Environment Bill, saw a policy vacuum for municipal waste management. This period saw statutory recycling targets being withdrawn, government DCLG funding favouring weekly residual waste collections over alternate weekly collections, and waste management being poorly defined. These characteristics resulted in a stagnation of progress on waste prevention and recycling metrics, and in some cases, reversed. Stagnation resulted from limited service development and expansion, with local authorities also being unable to confidently commit to progressive new waste management contracts.
The publication of the Environment Bill and its subsequent passing as an Act in 2021 invigorated the sector by providing a clear vision for municipal waste strategy; such as the introduction of long-term recycling and waste reduction targets. Furthermore, such targets were accompanied by a coordinated package of sectoral and market reforms designed to deliver target progress.
Notwithstanding the announcement of the primary legislation, there was a period between 2018 and 2023 where progress was limited. Waste Management Officers across the UK were clear on the policy direction and rationale but were unable to respond due to limited confirmation of initiative details. Unclear and undefined policy specifics such as ‘the materials to be included in DRS’, ‘the position on unredeemed deposits’, and ‘the materials and circumstances for permissible co-mingled collections’ collectively constrained full implementation across local authorities.
WRM
Since that uncertainty was addressed in 2023’s Simpler Recycling announcement, the sector has seen a good deal of progression. New services have been designed and mobilised, and local authority confidence has been restored to reprocure major waste treatment contracts. At WRM, this increased confidence has manifested in the development of major municipal waste strategies for three large local authority customers. This evidence suggests that with the provision of a clear and constructive policy environment, Waste Management Officers are ready to respond, mobilise and deliver the required policy reforms with improved outcomes on delivering efficient, improved and value for money waste services to residents.
Whilst Simpler Recycling reforms have brought much needed clarity to the waste policy landscape, recent announcements such as the delay to the Waste Emissions Trading Scheme and uncertainty on some current Local Government Reorganisations, will risk introducing a further period of uncertainty within the waste sector. Local authorities who are approaching residual waste contract re-procurement may be particularly impacted by a new phase of uncertainty on the policy detail.
Navigating the Road Ahead
Reflecting on this time may be helpful in finding a way forwards. The Simpler Recycling and associated DRS and EPR announcements marked a point of policy confirmation and whilst it did not answer all questions, it provided Waste Officers with the confidence to progress. Local authorities should view the current uncertainty in a similar manner and should not be put off by recent announcements. The direction of policy and principles are clear and remain unchanged. The sector must take a confident position in continuing to drive forward the progress that has been made and must avoid a return to uncertainty driven delays.
WRM have authored a series of guides for local authority waste managers to support waste strategy and service development in response to waste sector and local government reforms. Why not get in contact with our knowledgeable and friendly team to discuss the current policy context and how it impacts your organisation.
