Released July 19th during an event at the House of Lords, the scorecard is intended to keep track of decarbonisation progress in the recycling and waste sector, following the publication of the ESA’s sectoral Net-Zero Strategy in 2021.

The scorecard covers a variety of policy areas, including waste prevention and reuse; wider recycling and waste strategy reforms; a ban on organic materials from landfill; support for landfill gas and carbon capture; support for energy from waste (EfW) heat networks and support for net-zero fuels and vehicle fleets.

It highlights commitments made by the Government in all relevant areas, noting that many policies still remain under development, which the ESA states is having a direct impact on waste industry operators' confidence to invest.

Before releasing the scorecard the ESA polled 108 MPs, finding that only 25 per cent claimed to be familiar with Government Resource and Waste Strategy, and that 59 per cent considered the Government unlikely to meet its 65 per cent municipal recycling target for 2035.

Improving clarity in the recycling and waste sector

Alongside the analysis, the ESA - which represents major UK waste management companies including Veolia, Suez, Biffa, Viridor and FCC Environment - has called for a number of interventions from the government. These include:

• delivering on the much-anticipated plan for consistent kerbside collections for homes and businesses
• raising a long-term escalator on the plastic packaging tax
• ensuring safeguards are in place to prevent landfilling or export of waste ahead of the 2028 inclusion of incineration in the Emissions Trading Scheme
• delivering a comprehensive ban of biodegradable waste sent to landfill and providing clear measures for collection of that waste
• delivering wider collections and packaging reforms
• providing support for landfill gas capture
• continuing to deliver secondary legislation to enable the deployment of heat networks and carbon capture
• developing a decarbonisation plan for waste collection and transport vehicles

The organisation commended recent policy developments around carbon capture and heat network deployment for EfW - calling the inclusion of EfW within the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) ‘the most significant regulatory intervention for our sector in a decade or more’. However, it cautioned there might be a ‘potential for unintended consequences if not carefully balanced with other policies to support recycling and reduce waste.’

Charlotte Rule, Climate and Energy Policy Advisor for the ESA, said: “Our parliamentary polling shows that the majority of MPs do not think the Government’s target of reaching sixty-five per cent municipal recycling by 2035 is likely to be achieved.

“The recycling and waste management sector stands poised to invest an estimated £10 billion in new circular economy infrastructure, which will directly prevent this outcome and help reach the Government’s target, but this investment will not be realised without long-term policy clarity and urgent delivery.

“Our sector and Government have both been clear on our respective ambitions to achieve a zero-carbon, zero-waste society, but the scale and pace of action has been hindered by a lack of regulatory clarity and certainty, as highlighted by our scorecard.

“In particular, since 2018, the sector has been waiting for clarity over how key Resources and Waste Strategy reforms will be implemented across England. Every year this is delayed is a lost opportunity for our sector to deliver decarbonisation, green investment and jobs.

By contrast though, the scorecard highlights a quicker pace of policy development to support carbon capture and heat network deployment for Energy from Waste, which has been welcomed by the sector. The continued progression of the Energy Bill through Parliament will provide the sector with the clarity needed to invest in the infrastructure to underpin the UK’s green heat and carbon capture ambitions.”