Every month, we pose a question on our website for the masses to answer. We try to pick a topical subject each time, so what else could we investigate in June but industry opinions surrounding the General Election?
Last month, the poll asked:
Do you think the election results will have a notable impact on the waste & recycling sector?
Well, the results are in and they’re far from surprising – after all, there’s rarely been a consensus when other political questions have been asked in recent times.
Of all the responses, the majority vote was that Yes, the election results will have an impact on our sector, with 44% of people opting for that answer. But at the same time, 39% of voters said that No, they don’t expect the election outcome to have any significant effect. There were 17% of people, however, who couldn’t come to a conclusion, with these participants selecting the ‘Not sure’ answer.
So, three weeks on from the results of the election itself, are we any clearer?
UNTHA UK’s managing director Marcus Brew comments: “On 9 June we learned that the UK had a hung parliament, with the Conservatives winning 318 seats and Labour taking 262. Talks with the DUP unfolded as a result and it was only in the last week that we were informed a deal had been struck.
“However, it will take some time to really discover what this means, not just for the waste and recycling sector, but the UK as a whole. June has been a very challenging month in many respects, with the devastating Grenfell Tower tragedy, news of further terrorist attacks and ongoing Brexit discussions.
“I therefore doubt that environmental policies and the specifics of our industry will be top of the Government’s agenda at the moment.”
So the message to waste and recycling professionals in the interim?
“The external landscape is constantly changing, with targets, legislation, and commodity prices just some of the elements that continually evolve,” explains Marcus. “We therefore face challenges and opportunities on an ongoing basis, so we must remain smart and agile, with an eye on the future, to maintain progress. Of course it helps when the Government recognises the magnitude of what we’re trying to achieve, but the savviest of industry operators will remain focused on their own ‘next steps’ regardless.”
UNTHA UK’s July poll is live and this month, the topic is WEEE. It only takes 10 seconds to vote, so please visit /the-untha-poll/ to take part.