The closure of Aylesford Newsprint means policy makers need to “learn lessons”, according to the Resource Association.
In a statement, it also expressed its “sadness” at the closure of the mill.
Resource Association chief executive Ray Georgeson (pictured) said: “The Resource Association wishes to acknowledge and express thanks to our founder members Aylesford Newsprint for its vision in supporting the launch of the association back in 2011 and its stalwart support throughout our work to date.
“In particular, we would like to say a public thank you to former managing director Ian Broxup (who was a founding board member) and head of recycling Gemma Stapeley for their successive service to our board.
The closure of Aylesford Newsprint will be discussed by speakers at Secondary Commodity Markets 2015 – the conference for buyers and sellers of recyclable materials that takes place on 3 March 2015 in London. Find out more here
“We wish to express our sadness at the news of the closure of the Aylesford Newsprint mill and we offer our thoughts to all our friends at Aylesford Newsprint who have lost their jobs, many of whom we have been proud to work with for many years.
“Self-evidently, the closure of the mill will have a significant impact on UK recycling in both the short and longer term.
“For now though, our attention is solely on our friends and colleagues that have lost their jobs. The political and strategic consequences and the lessons that need to be learned by recycling policy-makers and politicians are an urgent priority as we re-assess what is needed to nurture a sustainable recycling industry. We will play our role in this discussion, but that is for another day, not today.”
