Press Release
For immediate release
CIWM Launches Presidential Report 2025
Ahead of his inauguration as CIWM President today, Dr. David Greenfield has launched the CIWM Presidential Report 2025, written by Dr Ryan Woodard, entitled “Lost Opportunities? Winning Back Materials to Drive the UK’s Circular Economy.” The report issues a call to action to capture and derive value from resources that are currently being lost to the UK’s economy.
Focusing on the urgent need—and real opportunity—for the UK to lead the transition to a more circular, inclusive, and resource-efficient economy, the report highlights six commonly overlooked materials that are currently lost to the economy both in the UK and internationally. The same approach could be applied to many other material streams.
The report examines both cycles (renewable and finite) of the circular economy and explores three everyday renewable organic materials—cooking oil, seafood shells, and wool—and three essential finite mineral resources in the form of lithium, gallium, and tin. It provides an assessment of how much waste of each type is generated, why it is lost to the economy, and explores current and future management pathways.
It makes a series of recommendations for unlocking the potential of these resources and acknowledges that a coordinated, cross-sector approach is essential. The findings make clear that government, policymakers, business, and the resource management sector have a real opportunity to:
• Align UK policies to capture ‘lost’ resources
• Develop business cases to capitalise on these opportunities
• Align public sector procurement policies to support resource recovery
• Foster cross-sector collaboration
• Implement a National Material Data System
• Establish a cross-organisational, open-access research repository
Commenting on the launch, Dr. Greenfield said: “The UK uses more than 15 tonnes of virgin materials per person per year—most of which is imported. Our circularity rate is just 7.5%. Over half of our household and municipal business waste ends up in residual streams. Globally, things are no better—circularity plateauing.
“We cannot afford to waste what the planet and economy cannot easily replace. My report highlights both the challenges and opportunities we face, reinforcing the importance of rethinking not just how we manage ‘waste’, but how we define and prevent it.
“During my year as CIWM President, I am committed to championing the development of a more sustainable and circular economy and facilitating the cross-sector collaboration needed to make this a reality. But knowledge alone is not enough. We need action—coordinated, courageous, and consistent—to make the transition from linear to circular. Let this be the moment we step up, reach across sectors, and turn waste from a symbol of failure into a source of possibility.
“Through improved design, collection systems, policy interventions, lifecycle thinking, and circular innovation, there are significant opportunities to harness many of the currently lost materials beyond and including the six highlighted here, for the benefit of the environment, society, and the UK economy.”
Sarah Poulter, CEO of CIWM, said: “Firstly, I would like to thank Tim Walker for his hard work, dedication, and leadership during his term as CIWM President.
“We are excited to welcome David as President. He brings extensive expertise in waste management and circular economy innovation. In his professional roles he champions sustainable resource recovery and innovation on a day-to-day basis. As Visiting Professor of Circular Economy at the University of Brighton, he has demonstrated his commitment to advancing a more circular and resource-efficient economy.”
The inauguration of Dr. Greenfield will see Tim Walker assume the role of Immediate Past President, with Vicki Hughes and Liz Parkes MBE becoming Vice President and Junior Vice President, respectively, and Charlotte Davies entering her second year as Early Careers President.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
For more information, please read the Presidential Report Summary 2025.
You can also access the full version of the Presidential Report 2025.
About David Greenfield:
David brings over two decades of leadership in embedding circular economy principles across different sectors, including built environment, local government and academia. He is a founder of SOENECS, co-founder of Tech-Takeback and etsaW Ltd, and creator of nationally recognised programmes such as the Waste Improvement Network and DfT-funded Pothole-Spotter.
He also serves on the UK Government Circular Economy taskforce and holds multiple academic and advisory roles. With a passion for regenerative design and systems thinking, he champions the practical implementation of circular economy in the built environment—guiding infrastructure, policy, and innovation across sectors.
About CIWM:
CIWM (the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management) is the leading professional body for the resource and waste management sector representing over 7,000 individuals in the UK, Ireland and overseas. Established in 1898 - and now in its 125th year - CIWM is a non-profit making organisation, dedicated to the promotion of professional competence amongst waste managers. CIWM seeks to raise standards for those working in and with the sector by producing best practice guidance, developing educational and training initiatives, and providing information on key waste-related issues.
More information can be found at www.ciwm.co.uk
Press contact:
Kacie Foskett
T: +44 (0) 1604 620426
E: kacie.foskett@ciwm.co.uk