What’s the most innovative way to tackle waste?

The UK Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan includes a primary objective of zero (avoidable) waste by 2050.

It's pursuing a circular waste management system, all within the UK (no more shipping it abroad, out of sight), and primarily supports SDG 12: Responsible Production and Consumption.

It's not always been clear that recycling is the last resort on the list of sustainable ways to tackle waste. The recycling process takes a lot of energy and releases emissions in itself.

But it’s getting clearer.

The approaches now encouraged all start with innovation, ingenuity and behaviour change - culture, not operations - and tie in beautifully with wider creative and community initiatives, such as WRAP’s society-wide priorities of tackling food waste, throwaway clothing culture and promoting repurpose and repair.

Zero Waste Europe's New Waste Hierarchy is what I often reference in my work, with its emphasis on innovation. It shows seven ways of tackling waste on a scale of most to least acceptable - and recycling is number FOUR.

Here it is in brief:

First, we reduce consumption and maximise remaining resource use…

1. Refuse, rethink, redesign.

   Changing behaviours, products, processes and business models so waste isn't produced in the first place.

2. Reduce and reuse.

   Keeping products in use for as long as possible, so they never get a chance to turn into waste.

3. Prepare for re-use.

   Refurbishing, repairing and repurposing products to make them usable again.

Then we get to the last resort for keeping waste out of the system…

4. Recycling, compost and biogas.

   These are the only remaining just-about-acceptable options for turning waste into resources. 

If we can’t manage one of those, then we reach the point of no return…

5. Material and chemical recovery.

   Extracting and retaining component parts and other resources from waste to minimise the quantity of waste discarded. 

6. Residuals management.

   Treating waste prior to disposal to reduce pollutants from getting into our air, land and water systems.

And finally, dreadfully…

7. Disposal.

The absolute worst case scenario - incineration and landfill - that we must avoid at all costs.