Waste minimisation and the route to Net Zero
At the 15th Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in December 2022, nations adopted four goals and 23 targets for 2030 in the landmark UN biodiversity agreement known as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The policies can be summarised as below, but you can ensure you are making your move towards zero waste and contributing positively by adopting a more proactive approach to your waste management. With the support of Environmental Services Group, we will make this as simple and easy as possible. Our approach means we are constantly looking for better routes for your waste materials as well as able to advise on supply chain items such as packaging, to help make sure your waste is as far up the waste hierarchy as possible.
The aim is to significantly reduce over consumption and waste generation and it aims to do this by ensuring that people are encouraged and enabled to make sustainable consumption choices including by establishing supportive policy, legislative or regulatory frameworks, improving education and access to relevant and accurate information and alternatives, and by 2030, reducing the global footprint of consumption in an equitable manner and halving global food waste.
Strategic principle 2 is to prevent waste from occurring in the first place and manage it better when it does. The aim is for a circular economy approach which retains products and materials in circulation for as long as possible and at their highest value.
A major aspect of the policy is to drive down the amount of waste we produce, and encourage reuse and recycling, the government has set an Environment Act 2021 target to halve residual waste (excluding major mineral wastes) kg per person by the year 2042. This will be measured as a reduction from 2019 levels, which is estimated to be approximately 574 kg per capita.
Through the government’s Net Zero Strategy we are committed to the near elimination of biodegradable municipal waste to landfill from 2028 and reduced emissions from landfill and incineration, saving an estimated 35 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2050.
Finally the aim is to eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042
If you have any questions on the governments waste policies and goals, please do get in touch and we will help future proof your business against all incoming targets and legislation.