Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Waste and Resources, Thérèse Coffey, announced as Environment Secretary. 

A period of turbulence in parliament, uncertainty, and concerns in the industry around delays there is finally a stable light at the end of the tunnel with a new Environment Secretary announced this week.  

This comes after the appointment of Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister following the 6- week tenure of the Truss administration.

Coffey’s announcement as Environment Secretary came as a vaguely pleasant surprise to the industry due to her 3- year experience working at Defra as Waste and Resources Minister in 2016.

The new Environment Secretary played a key part in developing the 2018 resources and waste strategy in her previous role: the strategy was deemed as revolutionary at the time and first proposed the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging compliance. 4 years later, slow progress has been made with question marks remaining over this piece of controversial legislation.

Although Thérèse Coffey’s appointment was certainly better received than her predecessor’s, she has her work cut out for her in pushing forward with the waste and resources strategy and ensuring deadlines for impending legislation are met.

Above: The Rt Hon Thérèse Coffey MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. 

The MP for Sussex Coastal’s announcement comes after Trudy Harrison’s appointment as Minister for Waste and Resources earlier this month.

Harrison is one of the new appointees to Defra following the departure of Steve Double. As the UK went into a period of mourning following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, there were some concerns from the industry around the delayed appointment announcements and confirmations of departmental responsibilities, and what this means for the waste and resources strategy timeline.

Above: Trudy Harrison MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Environment). 

Formerly the Minister of State at the Department for Transport, Trudy Harrison has been MP for Copeland in Cumbria since 2017. With an educational background in sustainability, the industry professionals eagerly await her stance on upcoming environmental policy. 

Despite her announcement on 10/10/22, her role as Minister of Environment has been an open secret since September after visiting Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s ‘Renew Hub’, the reuse and repair facility at Trafford Park.  

Martin Trigg- Knight, Director of Compliance Services at Clarity Environmental commented:  

“The announcements of Thérèse Coffey’s official appointment to Environment Secretary and Trudy Harrison’s to Minister of Waste and Resources are very much welcomed. I look forward to seeing how the ministers will work together in navigating one of the fastest growing industries in the UK. With her background rooted in sustainability, I am especially excited to see how Ms Harrison will support her department in continuing the pragmatic approach to implementing the 2018 resources and waste strategy and continuing the government’s strategy of supporting the UK’s recycling industry independently of Local Authority collection funding.”