Trade body the Resource Association has announced that it will be shut down on 31 December 2019, subject to ratification from its members.
The decision to close the organisation has been taken due to changing priorities for its members which, at a time of economic uncertainty, have less demand for the cross-sectoral policy work that it has undertaken since it was formed in 2011.
Over the past eight years, the Resource Association has been an advocate for the economic and environmental benefits of high-quality recycling.
Its work on this has included the development of an End Destinations Charter to encourage transparency about where recycled materials end up. It also created the Recycling Quality Information Point (ReQIP), which set out quality guidelines for processing recyclables in the UK.
Resource Association chief executive Ray Georgeson said: “It is with a heavy heart that we make this announcement today, but the time is right for us to close the Association. We are currently exploring opportunities to pass on the baton for some of our activities to strategic partners in the resources industry.
“Speaking on behalf of the members, I know we can be proud of the work we produced in eight years of activity and the influence we have had on the agenda around material quality, transparency and circular economy thinking.
“We are encouraged that many of the key objectives identified when we founded the Resource Association are now present in Defra’s recent Resources and Waste Strategy, as well as in the policies of the Devolved Governments.
“I would like to thank all our members and associates for their extraordinary support and fellowship as we have pursued an agenda focussed on achieving the best environmental outcomes for waste resources.
“Finally, I want to say a special thanks to Andy Doran, our founding Chairman for his unstinting support throughout and to Carole Saul who has done a quietly magnificent job of managing our administration and events from the very early days.”
Novelis Europe senior manager (sustainability and recycling development) and Resource Association chair Andy Doran added: “The decision to close the Resource Association is not one we have taken lightly, but at a time of reform in the industry, the current focus of our membership has changed.
“On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Ray and Carole for their professionalism and dedication representing the interests of the Association’s members.”
An Extraordinary General Meeting on 10 December will ask members of the organisation to ratify the decision of the board to close the Resource Association.
