CIWM announces partnership with the UK Government to support its new Change Network, which aims to facilitate the implementation of Simpler Recycling in England.
The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) has announced its official partnership with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to support the newly established Change Network, which is hosted on Circular Online.
As part of Simpler Recycling, local authorities will be required to collect the core recyclable waste streams from all households in England by 31 March 2026.
This includes introducing weekly food waste collections for most homes, unless their councils have a transitional arrangement in place, giving them a later start date in legislation.
Kerbside plastic film collections from workplaces and households must also be introduced by 31 March 2027.
The Change Network platform aims to foster collaboration between local authorities and the waste sector. It is designed for sharing endorsed guidance, practical insights from early adopters, and co-developing new resources and solutions to assist in the transition towards Simpler Recycling.
As part of this partnership, CIWM will host the Change Network session videos and supporting resources on Circular Online. The content, agreed upon with the Change Network Strategic Board, aims to equip local authorities with vital information needed to plan and implement the necessary changes.
Key topics already covered on Circular Online include procurement of vehicles and containers, rerouting, communal collections, adding missing dry materials to collections, and MRF (Material Recovery Facility) contract renewal.
CIWM will also lead a webinar addressing the critical need for training as part of the Simpler Recycling transition at 10am on 3 February.
Katie Cockburn, Senior Director of Policy and Education at CIWM, commented: “At CIWM, we believe that collaboration is key to successful waste management transformation.”
“Our partnership with Defra’s Change Network allows us to leverage our training and skills development expertise to play a pivotal role in helping all stakeholders adapt to the forthcoming changes.”