DEFRA report on resource management published

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a new report Resource Management – a catalyst for growth and productivity this month, which suggests resource efficiency, through “better regulation” could generate an extra £3.58bn for UK businesses by 2020. By 2014 the Environment Agency launched 11 new End of Waste Quality Criteria that, by 2020, could help businesses save £139m a year through reduced waste management costs and generate a further £355m a year through the sale of “new” resource that would otherwise have needed to be disposed of. In total, between 2014/15 and 2020/21, these changes are projected to be worth £3.58bn to businesses. The findings in the report also suggests that: *   The waste and resource management sector already makes a significant contribution to the economy and is finding new ways to extract greater value from waste; *   The wider economy is becoming increasingly resource efficient; and, *   Significant opportunities remain for businesses and the wider economy as we make the transition to a more circular economy.