The report's co-authors, Professor Ken Peattie of Cardiff's BRASS centre, and Ben Shaw from the Policy Studies Institute argue that while recycling rates have risen, and the UK is on schedule to meet EU targets, the key to dealing with our escalating waste problem lies in changing our buying habits and our attitudes to consumption.
This Economic and Social Resarch (ESRC) funded report was published in June 2007 entitled Consumption: reducing, reusing and recycling.
The report's co-authors, Professor Ken Peattie of Cardiff's BRASS centre, and Ben Shaw from the Policy Studies Institute argue that while recycling rates have risen, and the UK is on schedule to meet EU targets, the key to dealing with our escalating waste problem lies in changing our buying habits and our attitudes to consumption.
This Economic and Social Resarch (ESRC) funded report was published in June 2007 entitled Consumption: reducing, reusing and recycling.
If current trends continue, the gains from recycling could be undermined by the sheer quantity of waste being generated. If household waste output continues to rise by three per cent a year, the cost to the economy will be ~£3.2 billion and methane emissions will double by 2020.
The report highlights projects and efforts both here and overseas which tackle different aspects of waste reduction at the production stage and in consumption. Some of these initiatives focus on changing consumer behaviour through techniques such as 'social marketing' while others adopt fiscal or regulatory measures. In particular, waste reduction needs to be tackled higher up the chain of production and consumption. "Waste reduction must be a goal of UK environmental policy, and not tackled through waste policy alone," says Ben Shaw.
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