Implementing resource management changes

Targeting action for better resource use

Recycling has been a global success story for the last two decades, delivering significant environmental and economic benefits. But we still have a long way to go to transform waste management systems around the world to a new approach of design, make, reuse where we capture the value of materials so that they feed back into the economy.

To ensure we can deliver this change across resource management collections, services and infrastructure we need to target action and investment. We work to improve recycling infrastructure and municipal recycling, implement extended producer responsibility schemes and embed policies that drive efficient resource management around the world.

Our range of support and services help investors, producers, and collectors to build facilities that will turn waste products into valuable assets. And through our collaborative action programmes we are connecting organisations with the right initiatives and information to support more efficient and sustainable resource management.

Why is action needed?

65%
The 2022 municipal recycling rates were 44.1% in the UK, reaching a 65% target in the next 15 years will not happen without radical change.
500 million tonnes CO2e
Globally, recycling has the potential to avoid around 500 million tonnes CO2e per year if recycled materials are used in place of primary materials.
20 million workers
Most of the 20 million informal workers involved in the collection and recycling of plastic waste are subject to unsafe working conditions.
142 million tonnes
Only 10% of the 142 million tonnes of plastic packaging produced each year is effectively recycled. The remainder is sent to landfill, incinerated or leaks directly into the environment, representing $80 billion to $120 billion lost value.

Our solutions

The progress we’re making

  • Global Treaty to end plastic pollution

    Discover how WRAP is working with partners to promote a legally binding international agreement that uses a comprehensive circular economy approach, prioritising elimination, minimisation and reuse.

  • Recycle Week

    Since 2004 Recycle Week has delivered the nation's largest recycling behaviour change campaign. Through an ambitious mix of film, social media, on street initiatives, influencers, radio and PR, Recycle Week has encouraged citizens to recycle, using the power of its one voice.

  • Wales: leading the way to a circular economy

    Discover how Wales has transformed its recycling systems and cemented itself as a circular economy leader. 

  • Resource Action Fund

    An £18 million fund, provided by Defra to support resource efficiency projects, with the goal of diverting, reducing, and better managing waste. With impacts set to grow over time, the impact of the interventions has diverted over 180,871 tonnes of waste and is estimated to have avoided over 395,228 tonnes of CO2e emissions.

  • Global Sustainable Plastic Packaging Programme

    WRAP has delivered a multi-million-pound global programme working with partners to deliver change in plastic pollution hotspots across India, Chile, South Africa, Kenya, Mexico and Colombia.

  • Recycling Tracker survey in the UK: Spring 2024

    We’ve been tracking the attitudes, knowledge and behaviour of citizens in the UK for 20 years. These highlight the critical issues we must tackle in order to make real progress.

Work with us

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