The UK government has said it intends to publish its delayed Circular Economy Growth Plan “soon”, but has not given a firm publication date.
In a written parliamentary answer published on 15 June, Defra minister Mary Creagh said the government remains “committed to transitioning towards a circular economy where resources are kept in use for longer and waste is designed out”.
Creagh was responding to a question from Labour MP Kerry McCarthy, who asked the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Circular Economy Growth Plan will be published.
Creagh said: “We intend to publish the Circular Economy Growth Plan soon.”
She said the plan will set out how the government will deliver “a more circular and more prosperous economy”, while Defra continues to take forward policies linked to its circular economy ambitions.
The Circular Economy Growth Plan was originally expected to be published in October last year but has been delayed.
The plan is expected to set out the government’s approach to moving away from a throwaway economy
The plan is expected to set out the government’s approach to moving away from a throwaway economy by keeping products and materials in use for longer through measures such as reuse, repair, refurbishment and remanufacturing.
In April, 19 organisations, including CIWM, Green Alliance and SUEZ, signed a joint letter to the Prime Minister calling for the plan to be released.
The letter said there is “incredible political and public support” for measures that keep products in use for longer, particularly repair, refurbishment and reuse.
In May, more than 50 businesses and trade associations wrote to Defra urging the government to publish the plan, warning that delays were creating uncertainty for businesses looking to invest in circular economy models.
Green Alliance said at the time that the plan had been “held back for over six months” and warned that further delay could harm momentum towards a more resilient, resource-efficient economy.
The government established the Circular Economy Taskforce in 2024 to help develop the plan, bringing together experts from business, academia, civil society and the waste and resources sector.
The taskforce has been advising the government on how to reduce waste, increase resource efficiency and support economic growth through a more circular economy.