Since it was revealed that the United Kingdom was falling behind many of the goals outlined by the European Union about recycling and waste management, the United Kingdom has stepped up its efforts to raise awareness about these important issues. The plan has been somewhat of a success, as recycling rates have gone up considerably over the last few years. However, there is still much work to be done as the United Kingdom still ranks towards the bottom of the list of countries in Europe when it comes to recycling. Waste management has also been a big issue in the United Kingdom and one that does not have simple answers. Due to a very competitive open market, the industry has become fragmented, which makes it more difficult to make real changes.
A recent study by Poyry, a UK consultancy firm, found that the waste management sector in the United Kingdom is broken apart but expects to become more unified over the next few years as companies attempt the growth that will allow them to roll out larger and more ambitious schemes. The study found that the seven billion pound waste market currently has around one thousand companies within it, but it also found that the biggest nineteen companies still represent two thirds of the overall market. Poyry thinks that many of these large companies are going to start merging with smaller ones and eventually the industry will be much more unified, which will make it easier to launch large schemes.
The report did theorize that a fragmented market could be a good thing as it allows for more local involvement with each community.
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