Governance of critical minerals: analysing extended producer responsibility

Governance of critical minerals: analysing extended producer responsibility

Join us for an insightful event on the governance of critical minerals and the analysis of extended producer responsibility. This in-person event will take place on Monday, September 25, 2023 at 3 Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 2DR.

Amidst growing concerns about the climate crisis and future supplies of critical minerals needed for green technologies, there is now a vital need for effective circular economy strategies for critical minerals. Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is an environmental policy principle that was formulated to improve circularity by making producers responsible for managing waste at the end-of-life of certain products. Although EPR regulation has been around for some time, there are wide variations in the application of this principle.

In this workshop organised by Met4Tech (part of the UKRI-funded NICER programme), we explore ways to unlock the potential of EPR to address critical minerals challenges. We evaluate what we have learnt about EPR schemes in the EU across a range of products including packaging, batteries, waste electronics and end-of-life vehicles. In assessing EPR, we assess what has worked, what hasn’t, and how this learning can help build a circular economy in critical minerals.

This workshop, at the historic Exchange building in Centenary Square (Birmingham City Centre), will feature presentations and panel discussions with experts on EPR across a range of product streams.

Register now to secure your spot and engage with industry experts, policymakers, and academics as they discuss strategies to ensure sustainable and responsible resource management.

Louis Dawson is a Lecturer of Law at the University of South Wales and has recently submitted his PhD thesis at the University of Birmingham. This thesis, funded by the Faraday Institution, provided an assessment of Extended Producer Responsibility and its role in facilitating a Circular Economy by analysing four European Union Directives. Louis also has experience within a policy setting, having worked with the House of Commons, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and Senedd Research.

John Redmayne leads ERP UK - Landbell Group’s business in the UK - supporting companies with circular economy services including; product data, product take-back, recycling and EPR compliance. John joined the environmental industry in 1985 and has been working in waste management for over 25 years. He has cross-sector experience from roles in the third sector (Chief Executive of white goods refurbishment social enterprise, CREATE UK), private sector (Senior Consultant with environmental consultancy, Eunomia) and local government (Executive Director of the Project Integra waste partnership in Hampshire).

John is a member of the Chartered Institute of Wastes Management (MCIWM) and represents WEEE Schemes Forum on the BSI GEL/111 Electrotechnical Environment Committee.

Rachel Waugh has a background in resource and process efficiency through her PhD in Engineering and her MA in Manufacturing Engineering from the University of Cambridge. Her PhD explored ways to halve carbon dioxide emissions in the global steel and aluminium industries, and she contributed to the book ‘Sustainable Materials With Both Eyes Open’, which in 2015 Bill Gates listed as one of his “top five books to read”. Rachel joined Oakdene Hollins in 2013 and has recently led studies on battery circularity in Scotland for Zero Waste Scotland and the evidence review to support Defra’s ongoing review of battery policy.

Pauline Deutz is a Professor of Circular Economy and Sustainability in the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of Hull, UK. A major focus of her research is the analysis of the social, economic and geographic implications of a circular economy. Dating back well before the term ‘circular economy’ appeared, Pauline’s research has addressed eco-design, extended producer responsibility, industrial symbiosis and waste management. Recent work has concerned the governance of metal recovery from legacy waste (co-I: NERC-ESRC-DEFRA), circular plastics (co-PI: EPSRC), the low-key bioeconomy (co-I: Research England) and place-based approaches to the circular economy (PI: EU H2020). Currently, Pauline is the Past President of the International Sustainable Development Research Society.

Professor Robert Lee is Professor of Law and former Head of Birmingham Law School. Before taking up this post, Bob was Co-Director of the ESRC Research Centre on Business Responsibility, Accountability, Sustainability and Society at Cardiff University. Bob is an honorary life member of the UK Environmental Law Association, a Fellow of the Royal College of Medicine and of the Academy of Social Sciences and holds a higher doctorate (LL.D.) for his work on regulation.

Sampriti Mahanty is a research associate at the UKRI circular economy centre for technology metals (Met4Tech) based at the University of Manchester. Her research focus is currently in using foresight methods like roadmaps to design possible scenarios and pathways for circularity of technology metals. Prior to this, she did a PhD from the University of Manchester where she focussed on the evolution of the circular economy concept among academics, practitioners, and policymakers. She is interested in circular economy, foresight studies, and incorporating responsible innovation in future resource options.

Host or Publisher Met4Tech