A new member-based association launched in the UK to represent the recycling and reprocessing industries has set out to provide a more secure source of materials to help the country’s manufacturing sector.
Launched this week in the Houses of Parliament, London, the Resource Association will be inviting new members from all businesses, local authorities, trade associations, agencies and NGOs. Founding members announced at the launch included waste management firm May Gurney, Coca-Cola Enterprises and the Somerset Waste Partnership.
It will be led by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) founding director Ray Georgeson as the CEO, as well as Andy Doran, national recycling manager at Novelis Recycling, Eric Randall from Bryson Recycling and Chris White from Plastics Sorting.
Speaking to delegates, Georgeson said: “We are creating a strong and positive voice for the sector. We need to make good use of quality recyclates for quality products here in the UK. If you take SMEs in the manufacturing sector, materials can cost more than 50% of overheads. There is a need for the recycling and reprocessing sectors to come together, which we have been backing for some time.”
Novelis’ Doran said: “We want to become the championing voice trying to unite shared agendas and put resources in the centre of decision making. We will actively work with the government to align policies where they are not joined up and advocate greater transparency in the supply chain. This includes the Transfrontier of Shipment of Waste Regulations and the Packaging Waste Regulations.”
While existing associations in the UK include LARAC (Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee) and WRAP, the Resource Association aims to cover the broader cycle of the industry, from engaging with local authorities to help deliver better recycling services, to addressing quality and recovery challenges of secondary materials in the reprocessing industry.
Addressing the potential of existing associations crossing over, the Resource Association said: “We believe there is a distinctive space for the Resource Association. We will seek to work collaboratively with like-minded groups and businesses and look for partnership opportunities wherever possible. In particular, we wish to work complementarily with existing material-specific trade associations and where needed provide a championing voice to unite shared agendas in the reprocessing and recycling sector.”
Potential associations for Resource Association to work with would include the British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA), as well as the British Plastics Federation (BPF) and Wood Recyclers’ Association (WRA).
Membership costs to join the association are based on companies’ annual turnover and includes a top fee of £20,000 per year for companies generating over £250 million turnover, right down to £500 per year for firms generating up to £500,000 per year.
Speaking to Waste Management World after the event, Georgeson said: “We see the association as an umbrella advocacy body and we’re looking to engage in conversations with all existing material bodies.”
Paul Vanston, manager of the Kent Waste Partnership, another founding member, reiterated the importance of materials security. “A key theme will be materials security,” he said. “We have a good understanding of food and energy security, which are dependent on other countries. They are a matter of national significance and the same is true for materials security.”
- More information on the Resource Association can be found by clicking here:
