The recent article by BBC News highlighting the mounting frustration over delays in the food waste management policy announcement has caught our attention, and it’s clear that the issue is no longer confined to our sector.
As a leader in this industry, we must express our disappointment at the further delay in this much-needed food waste management policy. Over recent years, we’ve seen recycling rates and waste metrics stagnate, and it’s clear that policy interventions are essential to push past this standstill and achieve the 65% recycling target set out in the Environment Act.
Since December 2018, stakeholders across the sector have been awaiting policy confirmation, dedicating time and energy to consultations. The need for certainty is now critical. Local authorities rely on this certainty to plan and implement effective services. Likewise, food waste sector operators need it to make informed investments in infrastructure that will boost recycling rates and help us attain our net-zero goals.
The ongoing delays and uncertainty are causing a proliferation of short-term contract extensions, which offer little strategic value. We need to look beyond temporary fixes and focus on implementing sustainable, long-term solutions.
In solidarity with many others in our sector, we at WRM call on the government to bring forward the confirmation of this food waste management policy announcement without further delay. The longer we wait, the more challenging it becomes to drive the changes we need to protect our environment.
Now is the time for action. Let’s turn uncertainty into action, short-term fixes into long-term solutions, and disappointment into progress.
Link to the article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66363568
