Sustainable Warwickshire

Why is this important?

To become more sustainable as a county we need to reduce the demands that we place on our resources. If materials end up as waste, the energy and associated emissions required to dispose of and replace products will continue. As the waste disposal and planning authority for Warwickshire, we use a hierarchy approach to prevent, reduce, reuse, recover and only then, dispose of our waste. But we want to go much further and move away from a “take, make, consume and throw-away society” towards one that minimises waste and pollution, keeps products and materials in use for as long as possible and supports the regeneration and protection of natural resources and our environment.

Such an approach will encourage better designed products that last longer and can be more easily repaired and maintained. It will reuse, remanufacture and recycle products, components and materials so they can be usefully used for other purposes and their life extended. Lower impact products and services could include more sustainable materials, improved processes such as modular buildings that reduce waste within construction, a shift to sharing resources, and repair and return services driving a strong second-hand market.

Ambition

A county where we make the best use of our resources and minimise waste, with a thriving economy that provides commercial opportunities and sustainable jobs.

What we need to do

Our overarching objectives for this theme are to:

• 3a. Reduce the amount of waste arising in Warwickshire.
• 3b. Establish a material recirculation approach that provides commercial opportunities and sustainable jobs.

For more information on resources, waste and material recirculation, see pages 24-25 of the Sustainable Futures Strategy (PDF, 1MB).