Opinion: Consumption levels are higher than ever, and we use more resources than the planet can sustain. Decarbonisation is critical, and this can only be achieved through circular economies and effective waste management. This is especially pertinent in the UK where the current waste collection system is inefficient, outdated and unpopular. Collections systems are often inconsistent and unclear, and we are too reliant on export markets as an end destination for waste materials.
A simplified, universal system of consistent collection would allow waste management companies to recover more bulk and generate much greater quantities of higher quality recycled material. Consistent collection would also enable local authorities to give much clearer advice to householders on waste separation, making it easier for consumers to do the right thing when disposing of waste. In addition, more consumer products would be available in recyclable packaging if sensible regulation and policies like the Plastic Packaging Tax are written in law, creating competitive markets for cheaper, more easily accessible secondary materials.
Belgium
It really is a no brainer! If we look to our neighbours in the Benelux where Renewi is a market-leader, we see a shift by governments towards a sustainable future which is evidenced by various new targets. The demand from customers is becoming more stringent as their sustainability goals evolve and this, alongside more progressive legislation, is helping drive more circular economies – but the UK is lagging behind.
A good example is Flanders, Belgium, which has one of the most advanced policies on household recycling anywhere in the world, and first started separating household waste back in 1981. New regulation means that from this year, households sort waste into around 15 different streams.
In response to the new legislation, Renewi has invested €20m in a state-of-the-art sorting line which was opened last in the presence of the Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo. This is an important step in Renewi’s ambition to be a leader in recycling and a front-runner in the circular economy and is an example of what can be achieved when legislation supports innovation. The new sorting has a capacity of 125,000 tonnes per year, enabling a 38% increase in the amount of raw material from residual waste.
These are just two examples of the investment and innovation which is made possible when Governments show real commitment to the circular economy but introducing supportive legislation.- James Priestley
This is highly sophisticated technology, and includes screening machines, windshifters and magnets, controlled in combination with recognition cameras with infrared technology (NIR) and artificial intelligence that optimise the entire sorting and reproduction process. In the UK we are ham tied without the necessary regulatory framework.
Another example of what is possible with the right legislative tailwinds is Europe’s first bio-LNG plant in Amsterdam, which was opened after Renewi teamed up with Nordsol and Shell (bio-LNG is a clean alternative to fossil fuels). The new installation at Renewi Organics in Amsterdam Westpoort means the organic waste Renewi collects from restaurants, the retail sector and the food processing industry is processed and converted into biogas via anaerobic digestion in the plant. Bio-LNG has almost zero particulate matter emissions and generates 80% fewer greenhouse gases compared to conventional diesel.
This circular innovation promotes greener transportation and reduces reliance on fossil fuels while contributing to a more circular economy, as the installation is set to produce 3.4 kilotons of bio-LNG per year. This number is equivalent to about 13 million CO2-neutral kilometres for an average truck.
These are just two examples of the investment and innovation which is made possible when Governments show real commitment to the circular economy but introducing supportive legislation.
Along with the rest of the industry, once again we urge the Government to show a firm commitment to the proposed waste legislation it has already outlined, including separate food waste collections and an end to plastic waste export (the Government has committed to stopping plastic exports but investment to build the infrastructure to handle waste domestically is vital to reach the packaging recycling rate goal of 70% by weight by 2030).
Renewi is well placed to bring existing, proven technologies and processes to the UK. It has the skills, capital, and ambition to play a leading role in delivering a vision for a net zero, circular UK economy.
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