Value the community-led circular economy, local groups say

Community groups in Yorkshire and the Humber are calling on local and regional government to do more to support place-based circular economy initiatives, as set out in a new briefing from Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission.

The briefing, which contains five key recommendations for decision-makers in Yorkshire and the Humber, was co-produced with people who are running local share, repair and reuse projects in the region.

What is the community-led circular economy?

Much of the time, we buy products, we use them, then we dispose of them when they become outdated or broken. This ‘linear’ system results in vast amounts of waste and an endless demand for Earth’s resources.

In a circular economy, a product’s useful life is extended through reuse or repair, or it is remanufactured into a new product. Across our region and beyond, people are coming together to drive activities that prolong the life of products and repurpose materials that would have otherwise been discarded, such as food and electronic waste.

Through repair cafes, pre-loved fashion swaps, communal allotments, upcycling workshops, energy from waste projects and sharing schemes, community-led circular economy initiatives bring so many benefits to an area. As well as saving people money, they help bring communities together, value and cultivate traditional skills in upcycling and repair, and promote healthier environments for people and nature.

Recommendations for local and regional policymakers

Despite the multitude of ways share and repair initiatives are benefitting local areas in the region, community groups have highlighted how efforts are being hampered by significant barriers.

In response, we are calling on decision-makers to support the community-led circular economy through:

– targeted funding for start-up and ongoing costs
– dedicated buildings or spaces for community activities
– place-based umbrella initiatives for increased brand recognition and trust
– skills provision to secure long-term, local expertise in repair and maintenance
– strengthened ‘right to repair’ regulations in the UK.

The government’s anticipated circular economy growth plan

The UK’s ‘Right to Repair’ regulations, adopted in 2021, for the first time legislated that manufacturers had to make spare parts and repair information for electrical appliances available to consumers, so that they could be fixed easily.

While this encouraged product designers to think more about repairability and lifespan, only a few products were covered by the legislation, and it failed to address barriers faced by community repair initiatives and individuals – such as the high costs of repair versus replacement, and the difficulty in accessing the full range of spare parts.

Community groups across our region are therefore asking that the regulations be strengthened and expanded as part of the government’s new plan for stimulating the UK’s circular economy. We are collectively determined that the rollout of the plan is done by us (rather than to us), through mechanisms such as place-driven strategic partnerships.

The government’s circular economy growth plan is expected later this spring.