None of us have a crystal ball, but in our October poll we were keen to know what waste and recycling professionals think will happen to the industry in 2017. Will Brexit put a dampener on progress? Is it actually the perfect opportunity for companies to press ahead with their environmental initiatives? Or is the landscape that murky that it’s simply not possible to predict what is on the horizon?
That’s the question we put to our website visitors last month, and the results are in. One thing’s for sure – opinions certainly differ at the moment. The responses were far from unanimous which reinforces the level of uncertainty that currently exists.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, a small proportion – 19% – said it wasn’t possible to look that far ahead. However, of the other 2017 predictions we proposed as options, the statement that came out top with 61% of the votes, was: ‘The waste and recycling industry has its work cut out to maintain progress in 2017, but it is resilient and will, on the whole, succeed’.
It’s encouraging to see that the majority of people opted for a statement of (albeit cautious) optimism. With so much potential change in store, it perhaps isn’t possible to confidently say if the industry will totally thrive (although that’s what 6% of respondents hope!) And it is clear that some of our peers have reservations about the next 12 months, with 14% believing 2017 will be a tough year.
So what do we think?
UNTHA UK’s chairman Chris Oldfield comments: “There can be no disputing that Brexit was a shock for many people, and the waves of uncertainty probably won’t subside any time soon with article 50 just around the corner.
“However, if we take time to reflect on the business environment on the whole, change is now constantly afoot. It isn’t something we can avoid, and, in many cases, it brings about positivity and potential, not just risk. It’s therefore how we anticipate, prepare for and manage change that matters, not necessarily the change itself. We must remain positive and focus on the opportunities that Brexit can bring.
“The metals market, for instance, has experienced a great deal of turbulence in recent times, and not just because of Brexit. Margins have been squeezed in the face of low trading prices and contamination issues have limited revenue yield. We’ve therefore developed a new solution to increase metal recovery rates, improve recyclate quality and boost revenues. In fact, this is one of the topics we’ll be honing in on at our upcoming showcases this winter.”
Chris is therefore urging businesses in the waste and recycling industry to be responsive and receptive to change. Of course, huge decisions such as Brexit will prove difficult for some companies to bear, but beneath uncertainty you can often find opportunity, providing you have the right mindset and team in place.
To discuss how you can improve your waste and recycling agenda in 2017, whilst still keeping a keen eye on your bottom line, contact us for a no-obligation chat on: 0845 450 5388, email sales@untha.co.uk or complete our short enquiry form.