Overview
We want to move from making and disposing of things to re-using and recovering products and materials wherever possible.
This requires a fundamental shift in how everyone thinks of and acts with the products we make and use.
We want your views on how we can make this shift and support the circular economy in Wales.
Headline Actions
We are proposing eight ambitious headline actions to accelerate our journey towards a circular economy:
1. Become the world leader in recycling: We will work to achieve the highest rates of household recycling in the World, working with local government, and transform the recycling of commercial, and industrial and construction waste.
2. Phase out single use plastic: We will make Wales the first country to send zero plastic to landfill. We will press ahead with game-changing reforms including introducing Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging, a Deposit Return
Scheme for drinks containers, and applying bans or restrictions to phase out the use of unnecessary, highly littered, single use plastic.
3. Invest in clean technology for materials collection: We will modernise the way we collect the material from our homes and businesses to reduce transport emissions of carbon dioxide and improve air quality, by introducing zero emission vehicles and investing in the infrastructure to renewably charge and power them.
4. Make more efficient use of our food: We will lead the way in eradicating avoidable food waste by looking at the whole supply chain and working with businesses from farm to fork to minimise waste and maximise resource efficiency.
5. Prioritise the purchasing of wood, remanufactured and recycled content: We will prioritise the use of wood and recycled content as well as prioritising re-used and remanufactured content in the goods that the public sector purchases.
6. Enable communities to take collective action: We will support citizens and communities to do the small things that add up to making a big difference. We will engage young people so they can actively learn about and be part of resource efficiency action through the education sector and beyond.
7. Create the conditions for business to seize the opportunities: We will support all businesses in Wales to reduce their carbon footprint and become more resource efficient. This will enable our businesses to save and make money, as well as being more resilient and able to compete in new and emerging markets whilst also achieving positive environmental outcomes.
8. Take full responsibility for our waste: We will take full responsibility for our waste in Wales, ensuring that we do not export waste to be a problem elsewhere. We will work in partnership with other parts of the globe to help them to tackle their waste
issues.
Consultation description
We are consulting on proposals that we:
- move towards zero waste by 2050
- scrutinise how we use resources
- encourage the reuse, repair and remanufacture products and materials
- maximise the economic and social opportunities of a more circular economy.
How to respond
Submit your comments by 3 April 2020, in any of the following ways
Respond Online
Download the response form. Complete and return to: BeyondRecycling@gov.wales
Post
Download the response form. Complete and return to:
Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Division
Welsh Government
Crown Buildings
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ
Documents
- consultation circular economy strategy
- Easy Read Guide How we want to move Wales to a more circular economy
- summary-circular-economy-strategy
- well-being-of-future-generations-act-goals-assessment
- presentation-beyond-recycling