Trade bodies renew pressure over Office for Resource Management

The policy has been discussed as a means of pooling expertise within government on resources and ensuring cohesion on policies related to resources – including recycling – between government departments.

The letter this week from the Material Security Working Group, which includes Friends of the Earth, the Resource Association and the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), comes almost a month after the group produced a policy paper claiming that establishing an ORM would operate as a ‘centre of expertise’ in government and be critical in driving the shift towards the circular economy.

Criticism

The group also defended itself against criticism that such a move would detract from the environmental focus of current waste and recycling policies (see letsrecycle.com story).

In its letter to party leaders, the organisation said: “The UK is amongst the world’s most import-dependent economies, meaning our companies, our economy and our nation’s broader wealth and well-being are vulnerable to interruptions in the supply of natural resources.

“Recent falls in the price of some commodities and raw materials are short-term and reflect continuing volatility. The same dependence on imported resources means that the UK has significant impact on people and the environment around the world.

“Alongside the ORM, an early duty of any incoming government must be to conduct a review of the UK’s exposure to raw material supply risks, recommending policies for a more resource efficient and resilient economy.”

The group has also called for the issue not to become a political football in the build up to the election, urging cross party support for the initiative that has to date only been backed by the Liberal Democrats.

In the letter, the Material Security Working Group adds: “To have a credible mid-to-long term approach to running the economy all parties need to publicly commit to the ORM and the review of UK material supply risks. We look to you during these final weeks of campaigning to voice your support for these important initiatives.”