What we do with household, commercial, industrial, construction and demolition waste has economic and environmental consequences. Disposal of plastic, food and garden waste can release greenhouse gases and contribute to climate change; in 2021 alone, disposal and treatment of waste represented 6% of UK greenhouse gas emissions.
In 2018, the Government published its Resource and Waste Strategy for England, setting out how it will establish a circular waste economy where products are used again or for longer through reuse, repair and recycling.
The Government also has commitments and requirements that predate this Strategy, including through waste and recycling regulations transposed from the EU into UK law, and under the 1990 Environmental Protection Act.
Based on an investigation by the National Audit Office into progress of the strategy, the Committee will question senior DEFRA officials on:
- Whether the Government has effective plans to achieve its resources and waste ambitions
- Whether DEFRA is on track to successfully implement its main programme, on collection and packaging reforms
If you have evidence on this issue, please submit it here by 23:59 on Monday 28 August 2023.
Please look at the requirements for written evidence submissions and note that the Committee cannot accept material as evidence that is published elsewhere.