Food redistribution charities can now submit applications for a new £15 million UK Government scheme to help ensure surplus food is redistributed.
The new Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate scheme aims to strengthen links between farms and charities to reduce food surplus on farms.
Applicants can apply for grants starting from £20,000 by outlining how they intend to form relationships with farmers to access surplus food, and how they would seek to increase their capacity to redistribute this food to communities.
The funding can go towards purchasing new packaging and labelling equipment and vehicles to move goods from farms to a redistribution organisation, as well as new equipment, like fridges or freezers, to safely store food and ensure it lasts longer.
Commenting on the fund, Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said: “Nobody wants to see good food go to waste – especially farmers who work hard to put food on our nation’s tables.
Nobody wants to see good food go to waste – especially farmers who work hard to put food on our nation’s tables.
“This fund will help charities work more closely with farmers to create new ways to get fresh produce to the people who need it most.
“I encourage our brilliant, dedicated redistribution charities and non-profits to apply for this funding to ensure more British fruit and veg gets to those who need it most.”
Every year an estimated 330,000 tonnes of edible food is either wasted or repurposed as animal feed before leaving farm gates.
In a joint statement, the CEOs of The Bread and Butter Thing, City Harvest, FareShare, The Felix Project and Co-Chairs of The Xcess Group said the fund presents an opportunity to make a “profound impact” by empowering communities and charities.
“By working across the charitable redistribution sector, we can help ensure that this scheme is implemented efficiently through our joint capacity, delivers tangible value to taxpayers, and helps millions of meals reach as many people as possible at a time of considerable need,” the statement said.
Packaging Sustainability Specialist at Ecosurety Alison Appleby explores how the new recyclability assessment is shaking up the packaging industry and why producers should prepare now.
With the final version of the packaging Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) released by government in the last week of 2024, businesses are now starting to wrap their heads around the additional work required to use the RAM and the impact it will have on them.
What is the RAM?
The Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) is the mechanism through which large producers (those companies with a turnover greater than £2 million and that supply or import more than 50 tonnes of packaging in the UK) will need to assess the recyclability of their household and shipment packaging and report it to government, under the packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations.
As businesses assess their packaging components using the RAM, each item will receive one of three ratings:
Red – Difficult to recycle at scale.
Amber – May experience challenges in the collection and recycling process.
Green – Widely recyclable in the UK.
They will then need to report the tonnage of their household commonly street binned and shipment packaging into the relevant categories of “red”, “amber” and “green” from the October 2025 EPR data submission.
This information will be important, not only to understand the general recyclability of packaging placed on the market in the UK, but also to inform eco-modulation of Waste Management Fees (WMFs) payable by producers.
WMFs are being introduced to cover local authority packaging waste management costs and are a new cost for producers.
Base fees will be required in 2025, with eco-modulation based on the results of the RAM expected from 2026.
At this stage, government has not yet released information on what eco-modulation will look like. It is understood that packaging classed as “red” by the RAM will likely incur higher WMFs than those with an “amber”, and those with a “green” result.
However, we do not yet know to what extent “red” packaging will be more expensive than “green” packaging, and at this stage we only have a third release of illustrative base fees for 2025 to 2026, which are still subject to change before the final base fees are released sometime after April 2025.
What we do know is that the fees will be modulated within material types, as broken down by the material classifications of the RAM. These are:
Paper and board;
Fibre-based composite materials;
Plastic (flexibles);
Plastic (rigids);
Steel;
Aluminium;
Glass;
Wood;
Other materials.
Challenges for industry
To successfully complete a RAM assessment, businesses will need a much greater level of detail on their packaging. This includes detail on packaging adhesives, label sizes, ink types, and additives – to name just a few.
When looking at the full RAM, there are almost 700 unique data points and features within its 6,500 words. This will be no small task for businesses and should be taken seriously.
One of the biggest challenges for industry will be the collection of this additional detail from suppliers and packaging manufacturers.
This will be a time-consuming task for most, and likely require a lot of back-and-forth enquiries trying to capture all the details required to complete a RAM assessment successfully.
This is because several of the features that will need to be considered as part of the RAM cannot be determined by simply looking at a physical packaging format – it’s about the material make-up of the packaging, which includes lots of new information not previously required for reporting purposes in the UK.
It was also announced in late February 2025 that an updated version of the RAM would be published around April 2025.
Given this news, many businesses are pressing pause on their assessment of packaging using the RAM due to uncertainty and the amount of work that will go into completing an assessment which may have to be completed again.
Expected industry response
One of the key objectives of the RAM is to incentivise the use of more recyclable packaging.
Since its publication, there has been significant talk within the industry around how to reduce the amount of packaging classified as “red” – packaging that is not recyclable.
Over the next few years, we predict several packaging format changes away from “red” non-recyclable packaging components to “green” readily recyclable packaging components as businesses attempt to reduce their costs as much as possible.
This will support the transition towards a circular economy for packaging as businesses move to more recyclable packaging.
We also anticipate movement away from the use of substances of very high concern under the UK Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and packaging containing intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as these result in an instant “red” outcome.
This will be beneficial for human and environmental health, and while not directly impacting recyclability functionally, it’s a good opportunity to phase-out these substances in line with bans occurring globally for these materials.
This also aligns with similar phase-outs and bans occurring throughout Europe.
Where to from here?
We are yet to know the full effects of the RAM. Businesses could have a knee-jerk reaction and change packaging that will have higher WMFs, but this could lead to unintended consequences in the long term. For example, in the case of flexible plastic packaging, which is not currently collected at kerbside.
This will be collected in England from 2027 once Simpler Recycling is in play and could receive an “upgrade” in terms of its RAM outcome in two years’ time.
Will we see businesses jump to alternatives in the interim, or will they foot the bill for it being “red” or “amber” in the short term?
Other businesses may wait until after the update to the RAM is made around April 2025. While waiting for certainty, this will give those businesses even less time to assess their packaging before the October submission.
At Ecosurety, we’re supporting businesses through this change. Implementing this new assessment for EPR is certainly complex, and we know this is causing concern about the task ahead.
In general, we know that detail will be required on inks, adhesives, laminations etc., so businesses should start to capture what they can now.
Ahead of this year’s Festival of Circular Economy, Circular Online asks whether targeted legislation and regulation could be the missing link in accelerating the UK’s transition to a circular economy in the construction and textiles sectors.
Regulation is often seen as both a catalyst and a constraint. Yet, as the UK urgently strives toward a circular economy, particularly within the high-impact sectors of construction and textiles, thoughtful legislation may be exactly what is needed to drive transformative change.
The importance of this debate will be explored in depth at this year’s Festival of Circular Economy, with sessions highlighting regulatory innovation, collaboration, and best practices across industries. The theme for this year is around unleashing the power of design for circularity, focussing specifically on the built environment and textiles sectors – two of the most resource-intensive industries.
This focus resonates strongly with the pressing concerns detailed in recent industry analyses around the built environment and textile management, especially as climate targets loom large.
Construction and textiles, two distinctly different sectors, share remarkably similar hurdles. Both are significant contributors to carbon emissions and waste generation.
David Harris, CEO of Premier Modular, highlights that the construction sector alone accounts for approximately 3.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, primarily due to waste. Similarly, textiles contribute vast amounts of global waste and pollution, driven by fast fashion and consumption trends.
However, both sectors also share opportunities through circular economy practices – specifically reuse, recycling, and modular design – though meaningful progress appears to remain stalled without regulatory guidance and incentives.
Regulation as a driver of circular change
The UK’s road to net-zero has shown measurable progress, with greenhouse gas emissions halved between 1990 and 2023. Yet, critical delays in policy implementation mean further steps are urgently needed, especially in areas like “embodied carbon” (the carbon footprint “built into” an item or structure) and waste management.
As detailed by Harris, initiatives such as the government’s Zero Avoidable Waste in Construction Route map and the England Trees Action Plan have laid valuable groundwork. However, these initiatives need more robust regulatory frameworks to drive meaningful behaviour change and scale up circular practices industry-wide.
Similarly, regulation has emerged as a crucial lever for change within the textile sector through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes. Jordan Girling, Head of EPR at WRAP, emphasises the viability of an EPR scheme for textiles in the UK, which could significantly boost domestic recycling infrastructure and shift producer behaviours towards circular design.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s recent report reinforces this, calling EPR a “necessary part” of addressing textile waste. This aligns with successful international examples, particularly France’s advanced EPR scheme, which includes incentives for repairing garments, thereby promoting a systemic shift away from disposable fashion.
The report suggests circular approaches could reduce construction emissions by up to 75% by 2050, saving as much as four gigatonnes of CO2 globally. Additionally, these circular practices could generate substantial financial benefits—up to $360 billion annually by mid-century.
Construction can learn significantly from textiles’ move towards EPR by adopting similar producer responsibility models.
Modular construction, highlighted by Harris, significantly reduces waste through precision manufacturing, controlled environments, and reusable components. Yet, without clear regulations, its widespread adoption remains limited.
Conversely, for textiles, EPR policies could push producers to design products with recycling, durability, and repair in mind from the outset, shifting consumer expectations and market dynamics fundamentally.
Legislative challenges and solutions
Despite evident benefits, introducing effective regulation in both sectors faces common barriers – political hesitancy, economic sensitivity, and gaps in data collection.
James Beard of Valpak highlights the UK textile industry’s particular barriers, such as poor-quality post-consumer textiles, underdeveloped recycling technologies, and a volatile global resale market.
Parallel challenges exist in construction, where Harris underscores the need for a staged approach to embodied carbon regulation, cautioning against hurried legislation that could harm industry competitiveness.
Addressing these barriers will require careful regulatory planning, significant investment in infrastructure, and fostering confidence in long-term circular initiatives.
Valerie Boiten of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation underscores this point, noting the essential role robust data plays in reassuring policymakers and industry stakeholders of the feasibility and impact of EPR schemes.
The paradox, Boiten argues, is that EPR itself may be the solution to the existing data gap, creating clearer metrics and transparency about product life cycles, waste streams, and recycling rates.
Lessons from leading practice
At the upcoming Festival of Circular Economy, scheduled sessions on day two (which is virtual to allow for global access) specifically address these critical regulatory and industry issues, spotlighting “Circularity in Construction: Scaling Up Innovation” and “Textiles and Fashion: Navigating the Circular Economy Transition.”
These sessions aim to offer practical insights, successful case studies, and collaborative solutions to address shared sectoral challenges.
Effective regulation could encourage adoption of innovative financial models in construction – like shifting from capital expenditure (CapEx) to operating expenditure (OpEx), as suggested by Harris, making renting or leasing modular structures financially attractive and environmentally beneficial.
For textiles, successful EPR implementation – exemplified by France’s evolution toward incentivising repair and reuse – is instructive.
This system not only recycles more efficiently but encourages businesses to fundamentally rethink their production and consumption models.
A circular future is possible
Realising a circular future for both construction and textiles is ambitious but achievable through targeted, evidence-based regulation. Such regulation must be designed to unlock innovation, drive market transformation, and overcome entrenched linear practices.
The opportunity to reshape these industries sustainably lies within reach – provided the UK can navigate the political, economic, and infrastructural challenges effectively.
The Festival of Circular Economy offers a critical platform to explore precisely these strategies, share experiences, and build consensus around ambitious, practical regulatory frameworks.
In conclusion, regulation is not merely an enforcement tool – if used properly, it can be the key to unlocking a genuinely circular economy, turning environmental ambition into everyday practice in two of the UK’s most impactful industries.
To explore these issues further and engage directly with experts and policymakers shaping the future of circularity, register for the Festival of Circular Economy today and join the conversation on building a sustainable tomorrow.
Ahead of this year’s Festival of Circular Economy, Circular Online asks whether targeted legislation and regulation could be the missing link in accelerating the UK’s transition to a circular economy in the construction and textiles sectors.
Regulation is often seen as both a catalyst and a constraint. Yet, as the UK urgently strives toward a circular economy, particularly within the high-impact sectors of construction and textiles, thoughtful legislation may be exactly what is needed to drive transformative change.
The importance of this debate will be explored in depth at this year’s Festival of Circular Economy, with sessions highlighting regulatory innovation, collaboration, and best practices across industries. The theme for this year is around unleashing the power of design for circularity, focussing specifically on the built environment and textiles sectors – two of the most resource-intensive industries.
This focus resonates strongly with the pressing concerns detailed in recent industry analyses around the built environment and textile management, especially as climate targets loom large.
Construction and textiles, two distinctly different sectors, share remarkably similar hurdles. Both are significant contributors to carbon emissions and waste generation.
David Harris, CEO of Premier Modular, highlights that the construction sector alone accounts for approximately 3.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, primarily due to waste. Similarly, textiles contribute vast amounts of global waste and pollution, driven by fast fashion and consumption trends.
However, both sectors also share opportunities through circular economy practices – specifically reuse, recycling, and modular design – though meaningful progress appears to remain stalled without regulatory guidance and incentives.
Regulation as a driver of circular change
The UK’s road to net-zero has shown measurable progress, with greenhouse gas emissions halved between 1990 and 2023. Yet, critical delays in policy implementation mean further steps are urgently needed, especially in areas like “embodied carbon” (the carbon footprint “built into” an item or structure) and waste management.
As detailed by Harris, initiatives such as the government’s Zero Avoidable Waste in Construction Route map and the England Trees Action Plan have laid valuable groundwork. However, these initiatives need more robust regulatory frameworks to drive meaningful behaviour change and scale up circular practices industry-wide.
Similarly, regulation has emerged as a crucial lever for change within the textile sector through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes. Jordan Girling, Head of EPR at WRAP, emphasises the viability of an EPR scheme for textiles in the UK, which could significantly boost domestic recycling infrastructure and shift producer behaviours towards circular design.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s recent report reinforces this, calling EPR a “necessary part” of addressing textile waste. This aligns with successful international examples, particularly France’s advanced EPR scheme, which includes incentives for repairing garments, thereby promoting a systemic shift away from disposable fashion.
The report suggests circular approaches could reduce construction emissions by up to 75% by 2050, saving as much as four gigatonnes of CO2 globally. Additionally, these circular practices could generate substantial financial benefits—up to $360 billion annually by mid-century.
Construction can learn significantly from textiles’ move towards EPR by adopting similar producer responsibility models.
Modular construction, highlighted by Harris, significantly reduces waste through precision manufacturing, controlled environments, and reusable components. Yet, without clear regulations, its widespread adoption remains limited.
Conversely, for textiles, EPR policies could push producers to design products with recycling, durability, and repair in mind from the outset, shifting consumer expectations and market dynamics fundamentally.
Legislative challenges and solutions
Despite evident benefits, introducing effective regulation in both sectors faces common barriers – political hesitancy, economic sensitivity, and gaps in data collection.
James Beard of Valpak highlights the UK textile industry’s particular barriers, such as poor-quality post-consumer textiles, underdeveloped recycling technologies, and a volatile global resale market.
Parallel challenges exist in construction, where Harris underscores the need for a staged approach to embodied carbon regulation, cautioning against hurried legislation that could harm industry competitiveness.
Addressing these barriers will require careful regulatory planning, significant investment in infrastructure, and fostering confidence in long-term circular initiatives.
Valerie Boiten of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation underscores this point, noting the essential role robust data plays in reassuring policymakers and industry stakeholders of the feasibility and impact of EPR schemes.
The paradox, Boiten argues, is that EPR itself may be the solution to the existing data gap, creating clearer metrics and transparency about product life cycles, waste streams, and recycling rates.
Lessons from leading practice
At the upcoming Festival of Circular Economy, scheduled sessions on day two (which is virtual to allow for global access) specifically address these critical regulatory and industry issues, spotlighting “Circularity in Construction: Scaling Up Innovation” and “Textiles and Fashion: Navigating the Circular Economy Transition.”
These sessions aim to offer practical insights, successful case studies, and collaborative solutions to address shared sectoral challenges.
Effective regulation could encourage adoption of innovative financial models in construction – like shifting from capital expenditure (CapEx) to operating expenditure (OpEx), as suggested by Harris, making renting or leasing modular structures financially attractive and environmentally beneficial.
For textiles, successful EPR implementation – exemplified by France’s evolution toward incentivising repair and reuse – is instructive.
This system not only recycles more efficiently but encourages businesses to fundamentally rethink their production and consumption models.
A circular future is possible
Realising a circular future for both construction and textiles is ambitious but achievable through targeted, evidence-based regulation. Such regulation must be designed to unlock innovation, drive market transformation, and overcome entrenched linear practices.
The opportunity to reshape these industries sustainably lies within reach – provided the UK can navigate the political, economic, and infrastructural challenges effectively.
The Festival of Circular Economy offers a critical platform to explore precisely these strategies, share experiences, and build consensus around ambitious, practical regulatory frameworks.
In conclusion, regulation is not merely an enforcement tool – if used properly, it can be the key to unlocking a genuinely circular economy, turning environmental ambition into everyday practice in two of the UK’s most impactful industries.
To explore these issues further and engage directly with experts and policymakers shaping the future of circularity, register for the Festival of Circular Economy today and join the conversation on building a sustainable tomorrow.
Ahead of this year’s Festival of Circular Economy, Circular Online asks whether targeted legislation and regulation could be the missing link in accelerating the UK’s transition to a circular economy in the construction and textiles sectors.
Regulation is often seen as both a catalyst and a constraint. Yet, as the UK urgently strives toward a circular economy, particularly within the high-impact sectors of construction and textiles, thoughtful legislation may be exactly what is needed to drive transformative change.
The importance of this debate will be explored in depth at this year’s Festival of Circular Economy, with sessions highlighting regulatory innovation, collaboration, and best practices across industries. The theme for this year is around unleashing the power of design for circularity, focussing specifically on the built environment and textiles sectors – two of the most resource-intensive industries.
This focus resonates strongly with the pressing concerns detailed in recent industry analyses around the built environment and textile management, especially as climate targets loom large.
Construction and textiles, two distinctly different sectors, share remarkably similar hurdles. Both are significant contributors to carbon emissions and waste generation.
David Harris, CEO of Premier Modular, highlights that the construction sector alone accounts for approximately 3.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, primarily due to waste. Similarly, textiles contribute vast amounts of global waste and pollution, driven by fast fashion and consumption trends.
However, both sectors also share opportunities through circular economy practices – specifically reuse, recycling, and modular design – though meaningful progress appears to remain stalled without regulatory guidance and incentives.
Regulation as a driver of circular change
The UK’s road to net-zero has shown measurable progress, with greenhouse gas emissions halved between 1990 and 2023. Yet, critical delays in policy implementation mean further steps are urgently needed, especially in areas like “embodied carbon” (the carbon footprint “built into” an item or structure) and waste management.
As detailed by Harris, initiatives such as the government’s Zero Avoidable Waste in Construction Route map and the England Trees Action Plan have laid valuable groundwork. However, these initiatives need more robust regulatory frameworks to drive meaningful behaviour change and scale up circular practices industry-wide.
Similarly, regulation has emerged as a crucial lever for change within the textile sector through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes. Jordan Girling, Head of EPR at WRAP, emphasises the viability of an EPR scheme for textiles in the UK, which could significantly boost domestic recycling infrastructure and shift producer behaviours towards circular design.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s recent report reinforces this, calling EPR a “necessary part” of addressing textile waste. This aligns with successful international examples, particularly France’s advanced EPR scheme, which includes incentives for repairing garments, thereby promoting a systemic shift away from disposable fashion.
The report suggests circular approaches could reduce construction emissions by up to 75% by 2050, saving as much as four gigatonnes of CO2 globally. Additionally, these circular practices could generate substantial financial benefits—up to $360 billion annually by mid-century.
Construction can learn significantly from textiles’ move towards EPR by adopting similar producer responsibility models.
Modular construction, highlighted by Harris, significantly reduces waste through precision manufacturing, controlled environments, and reusable components. Yet, without clear regulations, its widespread adoption remains limited.
Conversely, for textiles, EPR policies could push producers to design products with recycling, durability, and repair in mind from the outset, shifting consumer expectations and market dynamics fundamentally.
Legislative challenges and solutions
Despite evident benefits, introducing effective regulation in both sectors faces common barriers – political hesitancy, economic sensitivity, and gaps in data collection.
James Beard of Valpak highlights the UK textile industry’s particular barriers, such as poor-quality post-consumer textiles, underdeveloped recycling technologies, and a volatile global resale market.
Parallel challenges exist in construction, where Harris underscores the need for a staged approach to embodied carbon regulation, cautioning against hurried legislation that could harm industry competitiveness.
Addressing these barriers will require careful regulatory planning, significant investment in infrastructure, and fostering confidence in long-term circular initiatives.
Valerie Boiten of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation underscores this point, noting the essential role robust data plays in reassuring policymakers and industry stakeholders of the feasibility and impact of EPR schemes.
The paradox, Boiten argues, is that EPR itself may be the solution to the existing data gap, creating clearer metrics and transparency about product life cycles, waste streams, and recycling rates.
Lessons from leading practice
At the upcoming Festival of Circular Economy, scheduled sessions on day two (which is virtual to allow for global access) specifically address these critical regulatory and industry issues, spotlighting “Circularity in Construction: Scaling Up Innovation” and “Textiles and Fashion: Navigating the Circular Economy Transition.”
These sessions aim to offer practical insights, successful case studies, and collaborative solutions to address shared sectoral challenges.
Effective regulation could encourage adoption of innovative financial models in construction – like shifting from capital expenditure (CapEx) to operating expenditure (OpEx), as suggested by Harris, making renting or leasing modular structures financially attractive and environmentally beneficial.
For textiles, successful EPR implementation – exemplified by France’s evolution toward incentivising repair and reuse – is instructive.
This system not only recycles more efficiently but encourages businesses to fundamentally rethink their production and consumption models.
A circular future is possible
Realising a circular future for both construction and textiles is ambitious but achievable through targeted, evidence-based regulation. Such regulation must be designed to unlock innovation, drive market transformation, and overcome entrenched linear practices.
The opportunity to reshape these industries sustainably lies within reach – provided the UK can navigate the political, economic, and infrastructural challenges effectively.
The Festival of Circular Economy offers a critical platform to explore precisely these strategies, share experiences, and build consensus around ambitious, practical regulatory frameworks.
In conclusion, regulation is not merely an enforcement tool – if used properly, it can be the key to unlocking a genuinely circular economy, turning environmental ambition into everyday practice in two of the UK’s most impactful industries.
To explore these issues further and engage directly with experts and policymakers shaping the future of circularity, register for the Festival of Circular Economy today and join the conversation on building a sustainable tomorrow.
As National Apprenticeship Week (10 – 14 February) gets underway, SUEZ recycling and recovery UK looks at what the recycling and resource recovery sector do to attract and retain the talent the it needs.
It was a pivotal moment for our industry; a public declaration that there can be no net zero without a circular economy and no circular economy without a geared up and appropriately skilled waste sector.
Yet there are some discomfiting statistics about the availability of the skills needed to deliver the government’s net zero plans. Currently, the UK has a green skills deficit of around 70,000 people and the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) estimates that the sector will need 238,000 more skilled practitioners by 2040.
Green skills and the circular economy
Dr Adam Read, Chief Sustainability and External Affairs Officer for SUEZ and Chair of the CIWM’s Skills of the Future Working Group, says this means a concerted effort from both a practical and policy perspective is needed to make up for the momentum lost when the body tasked with staffing the transition to net zero, the Green Jobs Delivery Group, was stood down in October 2024.
“Our sector is the net zero failsafe mechanism,” Read said. “We input at every stage of the current linear economy to reduce its carbon impact, but it is our presence at the end of the line, where we ensure vital resources are pushed back into circulation, that showcases our foundational role in the circular economy.
“The government must align its green skills policy with businesses like ours that are so fundamental to a functioning circular economy and invest in education, training and skills now so that the transition to net zero can happen at the pace required.
“After all, it takes time to recruit, train, develop and empower any workforce to deliver change, and the scale of change in our sector is more than significant, so to deliver by 2040 we need joined-up thinking and delivery now! But are we clear about what green skills and new roles and competencies we will need?”
“Our sector is the net zero failsafe mechanism,” former CIWM President Dr Adam Read MBE said.
Whilst academia is also playing catch up with a rapidly evolving green skills agenda through new courses and, in some cases, new industrial partnerships, specific skills development and programmes like apprenticeships and interns, the government is hoping to do more to directly incentivise the sector to train its own talent.
Last September, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced that the unpopular Apprenticeship Levy will be replaced by a new Growth and Skills Levy which will prioritise careers in industries where they are most needed and offer greater flexibility for employers to provide shorter or more agile apprenticeships.
In its current incarnation, the levy is criticised for only being available for apprenticeships of 12 months or more, even though some skills development does not require that timescale.
The unintended consequence is that the levy has failed to reverse the steady decline in the number of companies investing in both on and off-the-job training. Instead, they look to buy the skills they need, creating a highly competitive labour market against a backdrop of increasing green skills scarcity.
Why do they choose to buy, not build skills? Because the cost in time and effort of a 12-month apprenticeship when six months may have sufficed is simply not viable for many smaller businesses – the very businesses that make up the majority of the UK economy.
This resulted in the supposedly fully-funded initiative proving too expensive for many smaller cash-strapped companies.
How to kick-start a green skills revolution
Dr Tracey Leghorn, SUEZ Chief Business Services Officer says: “The UK’s skills and industrial policies must work hand-in-hand, ensuring businesses have the right incentives to invest in training for the future and in the areas that will underpin a sustainable, resource-efficient economy.
“The Growth & Skills Levy can help deliver this by facilitating the right training, in the right way, for the right sectors.”
But even with the new Levy, it will take a number of years for the necessary effect of these changes to materialise.
So, with green skills in demand, and those possessing them likely to have a wide range of opportunities to choose from, what can the waste sector do now to lure talent across the weighbridge?
How likely is it that the youngest cohort of Generation Z schoolchildren choosing their options this year, are dreaming of a future in waste? Even optimistically, the answer is likely to be very few.
Dr Leghorn believes the industry must work a lot harder to dispel some of the negative aspects of its image to resonate more accurately with a younger generation who, according to the Deloitte 2024 Millennial and Gen Z Survey, “want purpose-driven work and are not afraid to turn down work that doesn’t align with their values”.
“There is a need to collectively reposition a career in resource recovery and recycling as a significant contribution to net zero and circularity,” said Dr Leghorn, who is also Chair of the CIWM Social Inclusion Forum.
“If we look at our sector through the lens of its role in sustainability, together with the wide range of careers that can be pursued in the waste sector, we should be seen as an attractive proposition.
“No other sector offers this younger demographic the chance to directly address their key concerns about sustainability and the environment.”
There is a compelling story behind the fact that so many who join the industry have remained in it for the entirety of their career.
Career opportunities in the sector
Looking back and comparing where it is today, it’s a sector that has been continually growing and evolving, providing stability of employment but importantly a rich and fertile career environment in which those with a growth mindset can have multiple careers without ever moving employer.
The downside to this is that the average age of a waste sector worker is heading towards 50 – just 5% of staff are between the ages of 16 and 24.
Dr Leghorn says: “A sector demographic timebomb is rapidly heading our way and we must look to the future skills requirement with urgency and the agility needed in a rapidly changing world where employers need cost-effective capability and skills development, and our future employees are looking for a very different career proposition to those of their parents.”
Outreach to schools, colleges and universities can help tell that story about sustainability and the vast array of career opportunities available. It forms a pillar of the HR activity and SUEZ has an armoury of talent acquisition and training initiatives as part of its People Strategy.
This last year, they have onboarded more than 30 new apprentices, welcomed 20 graduates on graduate training schemes and currently have 10 interns across all areas of the business. Whilst quality must always be the focus, apprenticeship plans in 2025 extend into triple figures.
“Connecting early and relevantly is key to successful recruitment and, as well as engaging with educational establishments across all topic areas – whether that be STEM (science, technology engineering and maths) or business support functions such as law, HR, IT, finance etc – we also take a creative and socially inclusive approach to proactively sourcing the skills we need to ensure the future success of our business,” said Dr Leghorn.
This includes reaching out to ex-services personnel and, as a Veteran Gold Covenant Holder, SUEZ knows the value of the transferable logistics and technical skills that former members of the armed forces bring to the table.
Every area of the business is working towards having an apprentice in place as part of the inevitable succession planning needed in an industry where we are, in some part for the reasons outlined earlier, all fishing in the same relatively small pool.
One crucial area where skills are already in short supply, and where SUEZ is addressing the issue in-house with its own Academy, is Data and Digital Skills.
Bringing the industry into the future
The growing need for advanced waste sorting technologies, AI-driven recycling initiatives, and digital waste tracking systems require workers skilled in data analysis and management – all of which is a far cry from the manual labour image the industry has traditionally carried.
Being able to excel with data is crucial to retaining a competitive advantage in an increasingly sophisticated and data-reliant marketplace.
Dr Leghorn says: “This is a data-heavy business and becoming more so. We must ensure that the people handling that data have the appropriate skills to optimise and commercialise the vast array of rich data that we have at our disposal.”
The Digital and Data Academy saw 30 people enrolled in January, all of whom are studying for a range of relevant qualifications, including Degrees in Data Science. A further 60 will join over the coming few months.
Dr Leghorn says: “We are problem solvers at our very core so by making the sector more attractive to younger generations, offering agile, more exciting career pathways, and embracing technology-driven roles we can grow our own talent.
“Meanwhile, government intervention through training programmes, financial incentives, and education will be crucial to ensuring a workforce equipped for the future.
“By addressing the skills gap and promoting green careers, the waste management sector can position itself not just as a crucial link in the circular economy, but a leader that will drive sustainable change for generations to come.”
As National Apprenticeship Week (10 – 14 February) gets underway, SUEZ recycling and recovery UK looks at what the recycling and resource recovery sector do to attract and retain the talent the it needs.
It was a pivotal moment for our industry; a public declaration that there can be no net zero without a circular economy and no circular economy without a geared up and appropriately skilled waste sector.
Yet there are some discomfiting statistics about the availability of the skills needed to deliver the government’s net zero plans. Currently, the UK has a green skills deficit of around 70,000 people and the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) estimates that the sector will need 238,000 more skilled practitioners by 2040.
Green skills and the circular economy
Dr Adam Read, Chief Sustainability and External Affairs Officer for SUEZ and Chair of the CIWM’s Skills of the Future Working Group, says this means a concerted effort from both a practical and policy perspective is needed to make up for the momentum lost when the body tasked with staffing the transition to net zero, the Green Jobs Delivery Group, was stood down in October 2024.
“Our sector is the net zero failsafe mechanism,” Read said. “We input at every stage of the current linear economy to reduce its carbon impact, but it is our presence at the end of the line, where we ensure vital resources are pushed back into circulation, that showcases our foundational role in the circular economy.
“The government must align its green skills policy with businesses like ours that are so fundamental to a functioning circular economy and invest in education, training and skills now so that the transition to net zero can happen at the pace required.
“After all, it takes time to recruit, train, develop and empower any workforce to deliver change, and the scale of change in our sector is more than significant, so to deliver by 2040 we need joined-up thinking and delivery now! But are we clear about what green skills and new roles and competencies we will need?”
“Our sector is the net zero failsafe mechanism,” former CIWM President Dr Adam Read MBE said.
Whilst academia is also playing catch up with a rapidly evolving green skills agenda through new courses and, in some cases, new industrial partnerships, specific skills development and programmes like apprenticeships and interns, the government is hoping to do more to directly incentivise the sector to train its own talent.
Last September, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced that the unpopular Apprenticeship Levy will be replaced by a new Growth and Skills Levy which will prioritise careers in industries where they are most needed and offer greater flexibility for employers to provide shorter or more agile apprenticeships.
In its current incarnation, the levy is criticised for only being available for apprenticeships of 12 months or more, even though some skills development does not require that timescale.
The unintended consequence is that the levy has failed to reverse the steady decline in the number of companies investing in both on and off-the-job training. Instead, they look to buy the skills they need, creating a highly competitive labour market against a backdrop of increasing green skills scarcity.
Why do they choose to buy, not build skills? Because the cost in time and effort of a 12-month apprenticeship when six months may have sufficed is simply not viable for many smaller businesses – the very businesses that make up the majority of the UK economy.
This resulted in the supposedly fully-funded initiative proving too expensive for many smaller cash-strapped companies.
How to kick-start a green skills revolution
Dr Tracey Leghorn, SUEZ Chief Business Services Officer says: “The UK’s skills and industrial policies must work hand-in-hand, ensuring businesses have the right incentives to invest in training for the future and in the areas that will underpin a sustainable, resource-efficient economy.
“The Growth & Skills Levy can help deliver this by facilitating the right training, in the right way, for the right sectors.”
But even with the new Levy, it will take a number of years for the necessary effect of these changes to materialise.
So, with green skills in demand, and those possessing them likely to have a wide range of opportunities to choose from, what can the waste sector do now to lure talent across the weighbridge?
How likely is it that the youngest cohort of Generation Z schoolchildren choosing their options this year, are dreaming of a future in waste? Even optimistically, the answer is likely to be very few.
Dr Leghorn believes the industry must work a lot harder to dispel some of the negative aspects of its image to resonate more accurately with a younger generation who, according to the Deloitte 2024 Millennial and Gen Z Survey, “want purpose-driven work and are not afraid to turn down work that doesn’t align with their values”.
“There is a need to collectively reposition a career in resource recovery and recycling as a significant contribution to net zero and circularity,” said Dr Leghorn, who is also Chair of the CIWM Social Inclusion Forum.
“If we look at our sector through the lens of its role in sustainability, together with the wide range of careers that can be pursued in the waste sector, we should be seen as an attractive proposition.
“No other sector offers this younger demographic the chance to directly address their key concerns about sustainability and the environment.”
There is a compelling story behind the fact that so many who join the industry have remained in it for the entirety of their career.
Career opportunities in the sector
Looking back and comparing where it is today, it’s a sector that has been continually growing and evolving, providing stability of employment but importantly a rich and fertile career environment in which those with a growth mindset can have multiple careers without ever moving employer.
The downside to this is that the average age of a waste sector worker is heading towards 50 – just 5% of staff are between the ages of 16 and 24.
Dr Leghorn says: “A sector demographic timebomb is rapidly heading our way and we must look to the future skills requirement with urgency and the agility needed in a rapidly changing world where employers need cost-effective capability and skills development, and our future employees are looking for a very different career proposition to those of their parents.”
Outreach to schools, colleges and universities can help tell that story about sustainability and the vast array of career opportunities available. It forms a pillar of the HR activity and SUEZ has an armoury of talent acquisition and training initiatives as part of its People Strategy.
This last year, they have onboarded more than 30 new apprentices, welcomed 20 graduates on graduate training schemes and currently have 10 interns across all areas of the business. Whilst quality must always be the focus, apprenticeship plans in 2025 extend into triple figures.
“Connecting early and relevantly is key to successful recruitment and, as well as engaging with educational establishments across all topic areas – whether that be STEM (science, technology engineering and maths) or business support functions such as law, HR, IT, finance etc – we also take a creative and socially inclusive approach to proactively sourcing the skills we need to ensure the future success of our business,” said Dr Leghorn.
This includes reaching out to ex-services personnel and, as a Veteran Gold Covenant Holder, SUEZ knows the value of the transferable logistics and technical skills that former members of the armed forces bring to the table.
Every area of the business is working towards having an apprentice in place as part of the inevitable succession planning needed in an industry where we are, in some part for the reasons outlined earlier, all fishing in the same relatively small pool.
One crucial area where skills are already in short supply, and where SUEZ is addressing the issue in-house with its own Academy, is Data and Digital Skills.
Bringing the industry into the future
The growing need for advanced waste sorting technologies, AI-driven recycling initiatives, and digital waste tracking systems require workers skilled in data analysis and management – all of which is a far cry from the manual labour image the industry has traditionally carried.
Being able to excel with data is crucial to retaining a competitive advantage in an increasingly sophisticated and data-reliant marketplace.
Dr Leghorn says: “This is a data-heavy business and becoming more so. We must ensure that the people handling that data have the appropriate skills to optimise and commercialise the vast array of rich data that we have at our disposal.”
The Digital and Data Academy saw 30 people enrolled in January, all of whom are studying for a range of relevant qualifications, including Degrees in Data Science. A further 60 will join over the coming few months.
Dr Leghorn says: “We are problem solvers at our very core so by making the sector more attractive to younger generations, offering agile, more exciting career pathways, and embracing technology-driven roles we can grow our own talent.
“Meanwhile, government intervention through training programmes, financial incentives, and education will be crucial to ensuring a workforce equipped for the future.
“By addressing the skills gap and promoting green careers, the waste management sector can position itself not just as a crucial link in the circular economy, but a leader that will drive sustainable change for generations to come.”
