The call comes in a new policy briefing which says a successor to the 2018 Resources and Waste Strategy should cover at least the Sixth Carbon Budget period from 2033 to 2037, and ideally extend to 2042.
CIWM said this would give businesses and local authorities sufficient lead-in time to plan and invest in new infrastructure, services and skills.
The briefing said England had made “clear progress” under the 2018 strategy, with Defra expecting to achieve 90-100% of its 2030 interim waste reduction target.
However, CIWM said the sector now needed a “new and clear strategy” alongside an implementation roadmap to maintain momentum on waste reduction, net zero and resource productivity.
Dan Cooke, CIWM Director of Policy, Communications and External Affairs, commented: “There has been significant and welcome progress under the 2018 Resources and Waste Strategy, but we now need to look ahead and provide this vital sector with a clear sense of direction for the 2030s.
“We hope to see a high-level and ambitious Circular Economy Growth Plan published soon, but this sector needs a coherent strategic roadmap to deliver on its potential and continue the strong progress made over recent years towards greater UK resource efficiency.
“The next strategy must build on what has already been achieved while broadening our ambition beyond recycling, renewable energy and better collections.”
Six priorities for the waste and resources sector
CIWM said the next-generation strategy should set out a clear long-term vision, backed by specific policy mechanisms and financial or fiscal incentives.
It identified six priorities:
- Go beyond packaging and food waste, with policies targeting high-impact materials including textiles, electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), construction and demolition, and products containing batteries.
- Go beyond recycling to reuse and reduction, supporting repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing, resale and product lifetime extension.
- Build domestic demand for recycled materials and reused products, using financial incentives and stable policy signals to encourage investment in UK reprocessing, refurbishment and remanufacturing.
- Recognise the wider economic role of resources and waste, including its contribution to resource security, reindustrialisation, regional growth and skilled employment.
- Continue recycling and decarbonisation progress, including further measures to improve recycling and reduce emissions from residual waste management.
- Tackle waste crime and health and safety, with long-term funding and stronger enforcement to address serious waste crime and risks including fires from vapes and batteries.
CIWM also called for the strategy to be backed by a realistic implementation roadmap, with a clear timeline for policy and industry measures. It said this was necessary because new resources and waste infrastructure can take years to develop and invest in.
Marcus Gover, Chair of CIWM’s Policy and Innovation Forum, added: “Businesses and local authorities need sufficient certainty and lead-in time to invest in critical infrastructure and improved services, and a clear, achievable long-term strategy can provide that confidence while helping to strengthen resource security, support economic growth and create more skilled jobs.”
The briefing said the 2018 Resources and Waste Strategy and associated measures had attracted more than £10 billion in sector-wide investment, and argued that a new strategy could help unlock the next wave of investment needed for the 2030s.
CIWM said the forthcoming Circular Economy Growth Plan could provide the economy-wide direction, but that a specific resources and waste roadmap would still be needed to set out the sector’s role and address issues such as waste crime, health and safety and future skills.
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