Committees

Preventing waste and enabling a circular economy

Inquiry

Much of the UK economy is still linear, based on the principles of using and disposing of products and the resources used to make them. This wastage leads to widespread environmental pollution and the continual and unsustainable need to extract finite resources.

UK and devolved governments have committed to developing a more circular economy which means reducing consumption and minimising waste through reuse, repair and recycling. It has launched a circular economy taskforce and has committed to further circular economy strategies.

This long-term thematic inquiry will scrutinise the progress of the UK government in bringing about a more circular economy, and the work of key regulators to ensure that waste is sustainably managed. The Committee will call for evidence on a regular basis and produce iterative and focused reports throughout the inquiry.

Topics for scrutiny may include, but are not limited to:

  • packaging reforms such as Extended Producer Responsibility, Deposit Return Schemes, Simpler recycling and the plastic packaging tax;
  • reducing the use of single use items and encouraging more ecological product designs;
  • international cooperation and waste exports;
  • encouraging more sustainable product imports;
  • growing domestic reuse, repair and recycling industries;
  • developing circular economies across different sectors, including agriculture and organic wastes such as food;
  • efforts to lessen the environmental impact and use of landfill and incineration;
  • tackling waste crime.

If you have information or evidence which may be of interest to the Committee, please contact: efracom@parliament.uk

 

Read the ‘Global Plastics Treaty’ call for evidence here

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The Committee is not currently accepting submissions, but we may open another call for evidence in the future. If you would like to write to the Committee about matters relating to preventing waste and enabling a circular economy in the meantime, please email your submission to EFRACOM@parliament.uk. The Committee is unable to consider individual problems or specific complaints.

Upcoming events

View all events

No upcoming events scheduled

Past events

Tuesday 24 March 2026
9:30am Private
10:00am Public
Oral evidence session 24 March 2026
Preventing waste and enabling a circular economy - Oral evidence
10:00am
  • Mary Creagh MP (Minister for Nature at Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
  • Sally Randall (Director General for Environment at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
  • Reverend James A Cruddas OBE MCMI FRSA (Deputy Director Waste and Recycling at Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Land use and nature - Oral evidence
11:00am
  • Mary Creagh MP (Minister for Nature at Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
  • Sally Randall (Director General - Environment Group at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
  • Reverend James A Cruddas OBE MCMI FRSA (Deputy Director, Waste and Recycling at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
Room 6, Palace of Westminster
Tuesday 9 September 2025
9:30am Private
10:00am Public
Oral evidence session 9 September 2025
Reforming the water sector - Oral evidence
10:00am
  • Emma Hardy MP (Minister for Water and Flooding at Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
  • David Hallam (Director for Floods and Water at Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Climate adaptation and emergency response - Oral evidence
11:00am
  • Emma Hardy MP (Minister for water and flooding at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
  • David Hallam (Director for Floods and Water at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
Preventing waste and enabling a circular economy - Oral evidence
11:30am
  • Emma Hardy MP (Minister for Water and Flooding at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
  • David Hallam (Director for Floods and Water at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
Room 6, Palace of Westminster
Tuesday 8 July 2025
9:30am Private
10:00am Public
Preventing waste and enabling a circular economy - Oral evidence 8 July 2025
10:00am
  • Rudy Schulkind (Political Campaigner at Greenpeace UK)
  • Dr Allison Lindner (Founder and Chair at Waste Law Research Group)
  • Professor Richard Thompson OBE FRS (Professor of Marine Biology at University of Plymouth and Co-coordinator of the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty)
11:00am
  • Dr Peter Williams (Group Technology Director and Head of Investor Relations at INEOS Group Ltd)
  • Ms Helen Jordan (Sustainability Manager at British Plastics Federation (BPF))
  • Joe Franses (Vice-President, Sustainability at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners)
  • Patrick Brighty (Head of Recycling Policy at Environmental Services Association (ESA))
Room 6, Palace of Westminster

Contact us

We receive a significant number of emails each day. All requests and invitations are considered but we do not respond directly to everyone. Please be aware, the committee does not look at individual cases or specific complaints.

  • Email: efracom@parliament.uk
  • Address: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA