June 2023
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference discussed the next steps for reducing plastic waste and developing the circular economy.
With a single-use plastics ban coming into force in England from October 2023, it was an opportunity to discuss:
- its potential impact, effectiveness and implications
- the responsibilities of key stakeholders
- opportunities for innovation in further reducing plastic waste
- translating policy into environmental benefits
Delegates also looked ahead to the planned introduction of the deposit return scheme in October 2025. We expected discussion on implementation issues for businesses and how to encourage take-up amongst consumers, as well as considering what has been learned from the implementation of similar schemes internationally.
We are pleased to have been able to include keynote sessions with Claire Shrewsbury, Director of Insights and Innovation, WRAP; Robert Jansen, Managing Director, DPG Deutsche Pfandsystem; and Nick Cliffe, Deputy Challenge Director, Innovate UK.
Overall, sessions in the agenda included:
- plastic waste reduction: key developments and improvements so far - prospects and priorities for implementation
- single-use plastics ban: progress - next steps - outstanding issues - practicalities - implications for costs, business models and supply chains - impact on key stakeholders and consumers
- innovation: developing alternatives to single-use plastic packaging - recyclability and waste management
- households and key sectors: growing recycling and plastic waste reduction - incentives and levers - the plastic tax - reducing and collecting film plastic - management of commercial plastic waste
- DRS and the circular economy: implementation and moving forward - the impact of changing consumer patterns - investment and infrastructure - collaboration priorities
- policy: priorities and best practice for plastic waste reduction - growing the circular economy
The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who attended from the DBT; Defra; DESNZ; DHSC; FSA; GLD; HMRC; HSE; Isle of Man Government; NIC; and the Welsh Government.
