Material footprint in the UK is the highest since 2008
The Fabian Society advises investment in infrastructure for large-scale critical mineral recycling.
The Society says England generates 163Mt of waste a year, triple the UN's recommended resources per person.
It urges the government to deliver a bold new circular economy strategy, to radically cut waste and our impact on the environment.
The UK’s material footprint in 2022 is the highest since 2008, according to its report, at more than 20t per capita and is 15% higher in 2022 (the last year data was recorded) than 2021.
Later this year, the government’s circular economy task force is due to deliver the UK’s first ever circular economy strategy.
The Society says one key option would be to amend the 2021 Ecodesign Regulations – commonly referred to as the ‘right to repair’ regulations – to cap the costs of repairing goods.
At present, without a cap on such costs there is little incentive for consumers to repair instead of replace as the price difference can be negligible. Such a cap already exists in the EU. This would shift the incentives, giving consumers a genuine ‘right to repair’.
Supported by Allianz, the paper – Repair, Reuse, Recycle: making the circular economy work at-scale – sets out several measures for the UK Government to consider:
- A target for England to reduce raw material use to below 8t per capita by 2050
- Abolishing VAT on building refurbishments and repairs
- Investment in infrastructure for large scale critical mineral recycling
- Mandating all large businesses to sign up to the food waste roadmap
'The UK’s material footprint is now the highest it’s been since 2008 – a sign that we are going in the wrong direction on resource use,' says Society Senior Researcher and report author Eloise Sacares.
'Action to reduce waste and resources has been slow, and our so-called ‘right to repair’ regulations do not work effectively to incentivise people to repair items instead of replacing them. A cap on the price of repairs, as is in place in the EU, would help consumers make sustainable and cost-effective choices.'
