<article><section><p>Environment analysis: The government has published its Circular Economy Package Policy Statement. The Statement builds on the Resource and Waste Strategy, the 25 Year Environment Plan and the Welsh Government strategy ‘Beyond Recycling’. It outlines how the UK will implement the requirements of the 2018 EU Circular Economy Package (CEP) and provides a revised legislative framework, concrete steps to reduce waste and establishes a long-term strategy for waste management and recycling.</p><p>The UK is committed to moving towards a more circular economy which aims to keep resources in use as long as possible, extracting maximum value from them, minimising waste and promoting resource efficiency.</p><p>The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Northern Ireland) have jointly issued the<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/circular-economy-package-policy-statement/circular-economy-package-policy-statement" target="_blank" title="Opens in a new window"> Circular Economy Package policy statement (Policy Statement)</a>. The <a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://ec.europa.eu/environment/circular-economy/index_en.htm" target="_blank" title="Opens in a new window">CEP</a> introduces a revised legislative framework, identifying steps for the reduction of waste and establishing an ambitious and credible long-term path for waste management and recycling. This policy statement sets out the key changes made by the CEP and the approach of the UK to transposition of the 2020 CEP measures. <a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/904505/circular-economy-policy-statement-annex1.pdf" target="_blank" title="Opens in a new window">Annex I </a>of the Policy Statement provides details of 2020 measures and the UK government approach to transposing them. <a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/904511/circular-economy-policy-statement-annex2.pdf" target="_blank" title="Opens in a new window">Annex II </a>contains the Regulatory Triage Assessment (RTA) and <a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/904512/circular-economy-policy-statement-annex3.pdf" target="_blank" title="Opens in a new window">Annex III</a> outlines proposed guidance updates regarding PPWD.</p><h2>What is the background to the Policy Statement?</h2><p>Global waste is currently projected to reach 3.4 billion tonnes annually by 2050, a 70% increase relative to 2016 (2.0 billion tons). Waste generation causes harmful effects to humanity, wildlife and the environment. For example, increased waste generation depletes raw materials and pollutes land, water and air.</p><p>In 2015, the European Commission published proposals to amend six EU Waste Directives, including <a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/lexispsl/environment/document/412012/60p8-kr23-gxfd-82df/linkhandler.faces?psldocinfo=government_publishes_circular_economy_package_policy_statement&linkinfo=f%23gb%23eu_dir%23num%2532008l0098%25&a=0.32357132945587075&bct=a&risb=&service=citation&langcountry=gb" data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/lexispsl/environment/document/412012/60P8-KR23-GXFD-82DF/linkHandler.faces?psldocinfo=Government_publishes_Circular_Economy_Package_Policy_Statement&linkInfo=F%23GB%23EU_DIR%23num%2532008L0098%25&A=0.32357132945587075&bct=A&risb=&service=citation&langcountry=GB"></a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/lexispsl/environment/document/412012/60p8-kr23-gxfd-82df/linkhandler.faces?psldocinfo=government_publishes_circular_economy_package_policy_statement&linkinfo=f%23gb%23eu_dir%23num%2532008l0098%25&a=0.32357132945587075&bct=a&risb=&service=citation&langcountry=gb" ></p></section></article>
Source: LexisNexis Purpose Built
Government publishes Circular Economy Package Policy Statement
