DS Smith supports campaign to drive sustainability up the political agenda

DS Smith, a leading integrated recycling and waste management solutions provider, has pledged its support to the Resource Association’s 2017 Manifesto for Resources. Released earlier this month (4 May), the comprehensive document aims to inspire greater understanding of circular economy principles and calls for clarity on political commitment to sustainability in the run-up to next month’s General Election.

The document outlines a clear, ten-point strategy towards realising a circular economy – from a complete ban on all biodegradable waste to landfill, to a statutory duty for all businesses to submit data on waste and resource use; aiming to improve recycling quality and minimise contamination. The Manifesto details how simple policy changes could have a transformational effect on the UK resources sector.

According to The Resource Association, adopting these ten steps would not only help to drive a low-carbon economy, but also deliver significant environmental and economic benefits – everything from reduced unemployment, to catalysing long-term economic growth and productivity.

Mat Prosser, UK Managing Director

With natural resources dwindling and commodity prices exposed to the volatility of the markets, working towards a circular economy is becoming ever-more essential. In the run-up to next month’s General Election, now is the perfect time to act. We’re calling for a clear political commitment to sustainability and hope the Resource Association’s Manifesto will act as a clarion call for immediate action.

— Mat Prosser, UK Managing Director

Tim Price, Marketing Director for DS Smith’s Recycling and Paper divisions added: “Achieving best quality recycling through consistency of approach has long been part of our messaging. The Resource Association has been an effective ally in helping us put quality materials for recycling on both commercial and legislative agendas. We are positive that the common-sense language of this manifesto can help policy makers focus on the benefits of a circular economy, and the part that quality recycling can play in the UK’s circular economy aspirations. 

Mat Prosser continued: “The General Election and Brexit present an opportunity to set clear sustainability goals and implement a number of new policies for the future. We understand the important roles that resource efficiency and supply cycle thinking could play in a closed-loop economy, helping to embrace restorative and regenerative principles, rather than the ‘take, make and dispose’ extracting industrial model.”

 

Ray Georgeson, Chief Executive of the Resource Association, added: “In producing our Manifesto for Resources 2017 and identifying ten steps towards a circular economy, our desire is to remind our politicians how important this is, with its twin benefits to the environment and economy.

“Environmental progress, protections and the value of our regulated resource industries have been hard won over the past decades. We hope this is not lost on future policy makers.”

The Manifesto for Resources, which outlines ten steps towards achieving a circular economy and sets five key challenges to political parties, brings a fresh new approach to making the UK economy more circular. To download the document in full, visit www.resourceassociation.com. 

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