Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
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- Figure 1: Forecast of waste arisings in the UK compared with expectations prior to COVID-19, 2019-24
- Impact of COVID-19 on the UK waste management and recycling sector
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- Figure 2: Expected impact of COVID-19 on the UK waste management and recycling sector, short, medium and long-term, 29 April 2020
- Waste arisings
- Total waste generation up by an estimated 1% to 158.3 million tonnes in 2019
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- Figure 3: Waste arisings in the UK, by sector, 2015-19
- Waste collection
- Recycling accounts for 18% of total waste management budgets in 2018/19
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- Figure 4: England budget revenue expenditure on waste management, net current expenditure, 2018/19
- Waste treatment
- Shift from landfill disposal towards recycling and incineration with EfW
- Significant investment into UK recycling and reprocessing capacity required
- Industry argues for the need to build more EfW facilities to avoid a shortage in waste treatment infrastructure
- Landfill represented just 10.8% of waste treatment in 2018/19
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- Figure 5: Local authority collected waste treatment, England, ‘000 tonnes, 2014/15-2018/19
- Companies and brands
- Consolidation remains key theme in industry
- What we think
The Impact of COVID-19 on Waste Management and Recycling
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- Short, medium and long-term impact on the industry
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- Figure 5: Expected impact of COVID-19 on the UK waste management and recycling sector, short, medium and long-term, 29 April 2020
- Opportunities and threats
- Higher proportion of recyclables likely to end up in residual waste stream
- Waste management industry shows resilience in the face of COVID-19 crisis
- COVID-19 could lead to the delayed implementation of policies supporting the move towards a circular economy
- Impact on the waste management and recycling market
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- Figure 6: Forecast of waste arisings in the UK compared with expectations prior to COVID-19, 2019-24
- How a COVID-19 recession will reshape the waste management and recycling sector
- Government spending cuts will impact local authority spending on waste services…
- …and the construction and commercial sectors will also suffer as a result of the slowdown
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- Figure 7: Annual change in construction output (volume), 2000-2019
- COVID-19: UK context
Issues and Insights
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- Proposed government policies to drive significant investment in UK reprocessing and recycling infrastructure
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Residual waste represents 55% of household waste in England
- Recycling rates in England have stalled since 2013
- Incineration with EfW accounts for 43% of municipal waste treatment
- Around 40% of local authorities do not offer separately collected food waste
- Scrutiny on plastic and packaging waste supports the need for greater domestic recycling and processing capability
Waste Arisings
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- Total waste generation up by an estimated 1% to 158.3 million tonnes in 2019
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- Figure 7: Waste arisings in the UK, by sector, 2015-19
- Construction output
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- Figure 8: UK construction output, 2015-19
- Household waste
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- Figure 9: UK household waste arisings, by nation, 2014-18
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- Figure 10: Composition of waste from England households, 2018, (000 tonnes)
- Composition of dry recycling from English households
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- Figure 11: Composition of dry recycling from English households, % of total, 2018/19
Waste Collection
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- Local authority waste management expenditure
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- Figure 12: England budget revenue expenditure on waste management, net current expenditure, 2017/18-2019/20
- Local authority waste collection
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- Figure 13: UK household residual waste collection, by frequency, 2017/18
- Figure 14: Percentage of local authorities collecting each dry material, by material, 2017/18
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- Figure 15: Percentage of local authorities collecting each dry material, by material, 2017/18
Waste Treatment
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- Figure 16: Local authority collected waste treatment, England, ‘000 tonnes, 2014/15-2018/19
- Waste infrastructure
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- Figure 17: Number and capacity of permitted final treatment facilities, UK and England, 2016
- Decline of landfill
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- Figure 18: Landfill capacity trends in England, 2008-18
- Recycling rates
- Household waste recycling rates
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- Figure 19: UK household waste recycling rate, by nation, 2014-18
- Packaging waste recycling rates
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- Figure 20: Packaging recycling and recovery targets, 2016-20
- Figure 21: Proposed UK packaging recycling targets, 2025 and 2030
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- Figure 22: UK packaging waste and recycling / recovery, by material, 2017
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Market Forecast
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- Figure 23: Forecast of waste arisings in the UK compared with expectations prior to COVID-19, 2019-24
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- Figure 24: Forecast of household waste arisings in the UK (adjusted for COVID-19), 2019-24
- Market trends
- Technological advancements
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The Impact of the Economy
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- Annual GDP growth remains sluggish in 2019
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- Figure 25: Annual GDP growth rate, 2015-2019, (% change)
Market Drivers
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- Government proposals to tackle plastic and packaging waste
- Environment Bill aims to introduce key policy proposals set out in Resources and Waste Strategy
- Following years of cuts, Defra receives a funding boost between 2019 and 2021
- UK Plastic Pact aims to create circular economy for plastics
- Overseas export bans on plastic waste
- Scrutiny on plastic and packaging waste supports the need for greater domestic recycling and processing capability
- Growing issue of food waste
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- Figure 26: UK household food waste collections, by nation, 2017/18
- Landfill tax hikes incentivise recycling and alternative ways of managing and disposing waste
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- Figure 27: Landfill tax rates, £ per tonne, 1st April 2016-20
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- UK waste management services industry dominated by the “Big Five”
- The UK’s largest operator Veolia focusses on growing the portion of its business tied to the ‘circular economy’
- Biffa prioritises acquisitions in collections business, EfW and plastic recycling solutions
- Viridor claims to have the UK’s largest network of 300+ advanced recycling, energy recovery and landfill diversion facilities
Industry Structure
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- Industry development
- Appetite for M&A activity remains across the waste management industry
- Changes in the structure of the industry
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- Figure 28: Analysis of changes in the structure of the waste management industry, number of outlets and businesses, 2015-19
- Structure by turnover
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- Figure 29: Analysis of the financial structure of the waste management industry, £’000 and number of businesses, 2018 and 2019
- Structure by employment
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- Figure 30: Analysis of the employment structure of the waste management industry, 2018 and 2019
Company Profiles
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- Biffa
- Recent company activity
- Financial performance
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- Figure 31: Financial analysis of Biffa Plc, 2016-19
- Figure 32: Turnover analysis of Biffa, by business segment, 2019, (£ million and %)
- Company strategy
- European Metal Recycling
- Recent company activity in the UK
- Financial performance
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- Figure 33: Financial analysis of European Metal Recycling, 2014-18
- Company strategy
- FCC Environment (UK)
- Recent company activity
- Financial performance
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- Figure 34: Financial analysis of FCC Environment (UK), 2014-18
- Company strategy
- Renewi
- Financial performance
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- Figure 35: Financial analysis of Renewi, 2015-19
- Figure 36: Turnover analysis of Renewi, by business segment, 2018-19
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- Figure 37: Turnover analysis of Renewi, by geographic segment, 2019, (€m and %)
- Company strategy
- SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK
- Recent company activity in the UK
- Financial performance
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- Figure 38: Financial analysis of SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK, 2014-18
- Company strategy
- Veolia Environmental Services (UK)
- Recent company activity
- Financial performance
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- Figure 39: Financial analysis of Veolia Environmental Services (UK), 2015-19
- Company strategy
- Viridor
- Financial performance
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- Figure 40: Financial analysis of Viridor, 2015-19
- Company strategy and outlook
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Methodology
Further Sources and Contacts
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- Trade associations
- Trade magazines
- Trade events
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