Powering up the circular economy with repair and re-use

The UK has ambitious goals for achieving a circular economy, where resources are kept in use for as long as possible. Yet, many businesses find themselves stuck at the starting line, unsure how to turn good intentions into practical actions.

The vision of a circular economy, where repair and re-use are ingrained practices, was the central theme of our recent webinar. Hosted by Dr. Adam Read MBE, SUEZ’s Chief Sustainability and External Affairs Officer, the webinar titled ‘7 steps to accelerate progress to a circular economy’ featured SUEZ Sustainability and Social Value Lead Sarah Ottaway, the Welsh government’s Head of Waste Strategy, Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Division Dr. Andy Rees OBE, and The Restart Project Co-Director Fiona Dear.

7 steps to boost progress

SUEZ has long been committed to re-use and repair, not just because it’s part of the circular economy, but because it delivers real social value – creating jobs, supporting communities and building a more sustainable future. Through initiatives like our growing network of Renew shops, we’ve already shown how re-use and repair can succeed at scale. In 2023 alone, over half a million items were given a new lease on life through our shops. This will be further expanded, with big plans underway in places like Cornwall.

Despite the progress, there’s still massive untapped potential. One key statistic from our latest research? Around 35,500 reusable or repairable items are missed at household waste recycling centres across the UK on a daily basis. That’s millions of valuable products ending up in landfill or gathering dust in cupboards, when they could be part of a thriving circular economy.

The barriers are clear: it’s often cheaper and easier to buy new than to repair, people don’t always know where to go or who to trust (with repair), and businesses struggle to make repair services financially viable.

This is where our new SUEZ manifesto, ‘Repair, re-use, reform: How to accelerate progress to a circular economy’, comes in. We’ve laid out 7 key steps to accelerate progress, based on research and practical experience, designed to benefit everyone – from citizens and businesses to local authorities and policymakers.

Role of government and policy

Overall, our panellists highlighted the importance of collaboration, policy support and shifting cultural attitudes towards repair and re-use. Whether working with charities or local authorities, our panellists agreed that the success of repair and re-use initiatives relies on people working together.

In Wales, for example, there is an evolving focus from waste management to the ‘resource use hierarchy’, which highlights re-use and repair as vital components of a circular economy. The Welsh government is supporting repair and re-use hubs, with 87 already in place and more in development. The project has already saved thousands of items from landfill, repaired over 21,000 items, and provided nearly 2 million meals to vulnerable communities (and saving over 2,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions to boot). It’s a testament to what can be achieved when public and private sectors come together to support these efforts.

The Welsh government’s seven key aspects in its repair and re-use route map are very similar to SUEZ’s model. For instance, both agree that it’s important to have the necessary skills training and support for individuals and organisation. They also emphasise a culture of re-use and repair amongst young people and in building partnerships.

Never too late to ‘Restart’

The Restart Project, meanwhile, echoed the importance of making repairs more affordable with incentives like repair vouchers and tax reductions, which already proved to be a success in countries like France.

But there still barriers. What was telling is the data gathered by The Restart Project, showing that over a third of what goes into e-waste bins could be reused or repaired, yet many waste facilities don’t offer these services.

The speakers lament that repair services are often perceived as too expensive, deterring consumers from choosing repair over replacement. Then there are the inconsistent regulations and a lack of supportive policies, which create an uneven playing field for re-use and repair initiatives. One speaker identified certain ‘manufacturer obstacles’ such as design barriers, software locks and limited access to spare parts. While attitudes are shifting, there is still a need to overcome the stigma associated with pre-owned goods.

Interestingly, these observations were reflected on the webinars audience polls results. To the question about the biggest barriers to re-use and repair, 68% cited the high cost of repair services and 39% noted the lack of policy to drive progress. This was followed by 37% who said restrictions in manufacturing barred progress and 22% saw public perception of pre-owned items could be an issue.

On the question of who plays the biggest role in creating a more systemic change, 42% looked at central government as being responsible while 37% pointed to manufacturers and retailers. The rest of the respondents cited the public (12%) should be accountable, while others pointed to business and local government with 5% each.

When asked to select what they considered as the two most important steps from the Re-use Manifesto, 69% and 68% overwhelmingly voted for cutting the cost (VAT reduced on repair goods, parts, labour) and extending product use and improving access to repairs and warranties, respectively.

Key takeaways from our panellists include the importance of enhancing and advocating for the re-use and repair culture. Collaboration is crucial and we all need to act now to normalise re-use and repair.

If you missed the live webinar session, you can watch it on-demand here.

Download the SUEZ ‘Repair, re-use, reform: Re-use and repair manifesto’ here.