The members of ESA’s Board have written an open letter to Environment Secretary Michael Gove stating that they are ready to invest £10bn in UK recycling and recovery infrastructure, providing that the policy that comes out of the consultation process is “investment grade”.
The letter welcomes the “ambition” of the Resources and Waste Strategy and states that the ESA’s respective companies have a strong track record for delivery, having already invested £5 billion in new recycling and waste treatment infrastructure this decade.
It says a fresh £10bn investment would create 50,000 jobs and the infrastructure delivered would save over seven million tonnes of CO2-equivalent each year, whilst recycling an additional 10 million tonnes of materials and generating an additional 7.8 GWh of heat and electricity.
“Since 1990 we have reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by 85% – a performance recently commended by the Committee on Climate Change – and last year we recycled over 20 million tonnes of materials, bringing resources back into productive use.”
The letter states: “We employ almost 40,000 people across all parts of the UK and run businesses which generate £5.6 billion in turnover adding £2.4 billion to the UK economy.
“Since 1990 we have reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by 85% – a performance recently commended by the Committee on Climate Change – and last year we recycled over 20 million tonnes of materials, bringing resources back into productive use.
“Critical to the success of the new package of measures is the provision of long-term underpinning stability. If this can be secured, then we stand ready to invest a further £10 billion in the next ten years.”