A future Labour government would set the UK more challenging recycling targets, mimicking the Welsh and Scottish governments' levels, according to the party's consultation document ‘Resource security: jobs and growth from waste'.
Commenting on the review, Gareth Stace, head of climate and environment policy at EEF, the manufacturers' organisation, said: “This is a welcome Review of one of the most critical issues facing Industry.
“We live in an age where global demand for resources is surging with prices on an upward trend and concern about shortages mounting. Developing a strategy for resource management is vital for the environment and to ensure a sustainable future for our economy.
“Today our competitors such as Germany, Japan and the US are much better at giving resource management the political focus it needs. We must now step up our ambitions to deal with the resource challenges of today and tomorrow."
The Labour document criticised the coalition government for setting ‘bare minimum' targets under the Waste Framework Directive.