Waste Strategy for Essex Consultation

Overview

Councils across Essex are working in partnership to develop a new Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy. This draft Waste Strategy for Essex sets out how we will manage the recycling and waste produced in the county for the next 30 years.

Why do we need to act?

• The previous waste strategy for Essex was developed in 2007 and a great deal has changed since then.
• There is a significant climate change challenge ahead. We need to take action now to address the impacts of climate change and achieve the goal of Essex becoming a net zero county by 2050.
• Waste management is a major contributor to climate change and is currently responsible for about 4% of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK.
• Improving environmental efficiency by making different choices about how we collect and treat waste will help reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated.  
• Waste prevention can also deliver benefits by reducing greenhouse gas emissions in other sectors, such as agriculture, transport and manufacturing.

Setting a new strategy will ensure we have the right approaches to deliver the best outcomes for Essex.

The draft strategy

The draft strategy is developed by the Essex Waste Partnership. The partnership brings together the 12 borough, city and district councils in the county with Essex County Council. The partnership aims to ensure cost-efficient and sustainable waste management across the county. 

The draft strategy takes account of research, national legislation and policy and sets out our proposed approach, what we propose to do, and our targets and ambitions.

The key elements of the draft strategy are:

• Working together to minimise the impact that waste management has on the environment, whilst offering value for money to the taxpayer.
• Embracing the circular economy. This means minimising our waste, recycling more, and rethinking how we will manage the waste that cannot be recycled to conserve resources.
• Coordinating the design and delivery of services to achieve the vision, targets and ambitions of this strategy.
• Supporting residents to reduce their waste and recycle more.
• Working in partnership with each other and engaging with business, industry and government to change how we deal with waste.
• Setting measurable targets and stretching ambitions and aspirations.

To access the draft strategy, please click on the link below

Draft Waste Strategy for Essex

Why your views matter

Essex County Council is facilitating this consultation on behalf of the Essex Waste Partnership.  Essex County Council fully complies with information legislation. If you would like the full details of how we use personal data, and the rights you have about its use, please go to www.essex.gov.uk/privacy-adults or call 03457 430430.