Direction, delivery and people are the three forces shaping 2026
Direction, momentum and people. These three themes that ran through the entire discussion in our recent webinar, linking policy goals with practical delivery and the workforce needed to make it real. And the clear expectation for 2026 was that progress will rely on all three moving in step.
Hosted by SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, the webinar on “A new year of hopes and fears in the UK waste industry” invited WRAP CEO Catherine David, CIWM Senior Vice President Vicki Hughes and DEFRA Deputy Director for Trade Operations and Systems James Cruddas to discuss stakeholders’ concerns around circular economy goals amidst upcoming legislations. The webinar was hosted by SUEZ Chief Sustainability and External Affairs Officer Dr. Adam Read MBE.
Big plans landing just as workloads peak
The upcoming Circular Economy Growth Plan from DEFRA is designed to give the UK a long-term path for shifting from waste management to keeping materials in circulation. What makes this plan stand out is how widely it has been shaped, with extensive input from industry, local authorities and other partners, rather than a closed policy exercise.
But its arrival coincides with one of the busiest periods the sector has faced. Simpler Recycling is still rolling out, including the required food waste collections being introduced at different speeds across England. Packaging reforms still need to be implemented and maintained. Flexible plastics require decisions on funding, processing capacity and end markets.
The pressure this creates was echoed by the audience in the webinar’s first poll on whether the Growth Plan will “land successfully”. More than half placed themselves in the “uncertain” category, not because confidence is low, but that people want to see the detail before forming a judgment.
The panel discussion mirrored this feeling. Questions for the panel reflected a clear appetite for direction, including a desire for clarity on what comes first, what will be funded and how enforcement will work in practice. And the government response was that the details sit within the Growth Plan, but the day-to-day reality will be defined by how well the sector can manage competing demands in an already busy year.
From pilot projects and trials to everyday practice
If direction matters, delivery is where the people will feel the difference. Much of the discussion centred on how long-running pilots now need to become everyday systems.
Flexible plastics were a key example. Year of trial, including FlexCollect, have shown that households are willing and that separate collections can be done well. The challenge now is not participation but scale. The UK needs enough infrastructure to sort and process these materials, and enough stable end markets to keep the system viable. The panel’s view was measured, stating that we’re not ready today, but we can be within 18 months if investment and coordination line up.
Food waste collections follow the same theme. Progress varies widely between local authorities, which creates confusion for households and weakens participation. The takeaway was behaviour change works when the system is easy to understand. Clear, consistent messaging, rather than clever campaigns, will matter most. One practical point linked food waste to cost-of-living pressures, and it’s that wasting less food saves money, a simple message that people instinctively understand.
Poll two reinforced this mixed mood. When asked about their outlook for the UK waste industry in 2026, respondents were mostly “moderately positive” (46.75%) or had “mixed expectations” (35.06%). Only 0.65% were strongly negative. In other words, the sector is hopeful, but with eyes wide open.
A sector that people want to join
The third force behind 2026 is people, not just in terms of staffing levels, but how the sector presents itself to the public, potential recruits and even its own workforce.
CIWM raised a point that often goes unnoticed. Many frontline workers and SMEs don’t describe themselves as part of the circular economy, even though their work delivers its benefits every day. Meanwhile, young people often hear the word “waste” and assume the sector lacks opportunity.
The reality is the opposite. Work in the sector now spans engineering, chemistry, digital systems, re-use, repair, logistics, data and on-the-ground operations. But unless the sector communicates this clearly and confidently, it risks losing the next generation just when demand for skills is rising.
This also connects with several questions posed at the webinar. The transition ahead, from flexible plastics to food waste to tackling waste crime, will require more people with specialised skills and SMEs and local services will need support to manage new expectations. A workforce under pressure cannot absorb the demands of a growing policy agenda without support.
Looking ahead
The session closed with simple, grounded messages that cut through the complexity. Pride in working with resources, careers with purpose and ‘Waste2Worth’ taglines were timely reminders that the ultimate goal is not just better waste management, but a different way of seeing value altogether.
If 2026 is going to be a turning point, it won’t be because everything falls neatly into place. It will be because direction, delivery and people begin moving together, not as policy headings, but as the lived reality of how the sector works.
If you missed the live webinar session, you can watch it on demand here.