UK Circular Economy package adopts ambitious 65% recycling target

As part of its Circular Economy Package (CEP), the UK government has committed to a 65% municipal recycling rate and to a threshold of 10% municipal waste going to landfill, all by 2035.

Building on the government’s pivotal Resources and Waste Strategy, the UK will be transposing many of the EU’s CEP targets into UK law.

With the goal of significantly increasing the nation's recycling rates, the UK CEP also places a restriction on materials which can be landfilled or incinerated and includes a requirement that waste which is separately collected for recycling must not be incinerated or sent to landfill.

Environment Minister, Rebecca Pow said;

“We are committed to increasing our recycling rates and reducing the amount of waste that is sent to landfill to create a cleaner waste industry and reduce carbon emissions.

Through our landmark Environment Bill we will be bringing forward a raft of measures to do just that, and this new Circular Economy Package takes us yet another step forward to transforming our waste industry.

The Circular Economy Package, which will come into law later this year, is an important part of the Government’s existing commitment to move towards a more circular economy and reach Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050."