Popular search terms
Click each term for related articles
UK & Europe
Insurance & Reinsurance
As the UK seeks to move towards its vision of a circular economy, which includes keeping resources in use for as long as possible, minimising waste and promoting resource efficiency, we consider the key changes set out in the recent Waste (Circular Economy) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 and what these mean for the waste industry.
What are the Regulations?
The Waste (Circular Economy) (Amendment) Regulations 2020[1], transpose the EU's 2020 Circular Economy Package ("2020 CEP") in England and Wales and come into force on 1 October 2020.
The 2020 CEP sets out the European Commission's planned initiatives for a framework to make sustainable products, services and business models the norm. The Regulations amend the following:
What are the key changes?
Most of the substantive changes under the 2020 CEP affect the Waste Framework Directive 2008 and the Landfill Directive 1999 as follows:
The upcoming changes and the focus on the circular economy provide a key window of opportunity for businesses to seize on fresh innovation and ideas, especially in these challenging times. With the recent focus on green finance from some of the world's largest banks and investors, this is clearly an opportunity for businesses not only to focus on ensuring their compliance with the upcoming Regulations but to reflect on new long-term opportunities to capture the growth potential whilst they prepare to make this leap.
Importantly, industry guidance on the changes made by the Regulations will be published in due course, following which we will provide a further update. In the meantime, businesses should familiarise themselves with the key changes above.
If you would like to discuss any aspect of this article further, please get in touch with a member of our team at sheregulatory@clydeco.com.
[2] Regulation 15(7) and (8)
[3] The EP Regulations 2016 are amended to introduce a new statutory permit condition for waste incinerators and landfill operators that restricts waste paper, metal, plastic and glass separately collected for re-use or recycling from being incinerated or landfilled (regulation 21(5) and (6)(b)).
[4] Regulation 9(5)
[5] Regulation 9(4)
[6] Regulations 15(6) and (10)
[7] Regulation 15(3)-(5) and (10)
[8] Regulation 21(3)
End