Camden Council is set to bolster its commitment to sustainability by investing in the circular economy and reducing waste across the borough. The decision was highlighted during a recent Council meeting, where councillors debated and discussed strategies to transition from a linear take, make, use, dispose
model to a more sustainable circular approach.
The council's commitment includes supporting local businesses in minimising waste, encouraging community sharing and repair initiatives, and ensuring residents have access to recycling and sustainable food options. The move aligns with the council's Climate Action Plan and Reduction and Recycling Plan.
Councillor Adam Harrison, Cabinet Member for Planning and a Sustainable Camden and Deputy Leader, introduced the themed debate, emphasising the importance of moving away from the traditional linear economy. The council aims to reduce consumption-based emissions by supporting a local, zero-waste, circular, and sharing economy. The council's draft Climate Action Plan 2026-2030 outlines key outcomes for a local circular economy, which will also serve as metrics for success.
Camden has already initiated several circular economy projects, including:
- Library of Things: Located in Kentish Town and Swiss Cottage libraries, allowing residents to borrow tools and appliances.
- Fixing Factory: Based in Queen's Crescent, offering community repair sessions and workshops to tackle e-waste.
- Sharing Spaces: Facilitated by Think & Do, creating community hubs for sharing items, skills, and knowledge.
- Lifeafterhummus community cafe: A community cafe offering affordable plant-based meals using surplus food.
- Circular Retrofit: Applying circular economy principles to the retrofitting of 2 Prince of Wales Road.
- Camden Challenge Prize: Encouraging innovative ways to reduce food waste.
According to the Becoming a Circular Economy Borough report, most of Camden's circular economy activities have been funded internally, with some funding from the Somers Town Future Neighbourhoods Fund. The report also notes that the 'polluter pays' principle, launched in January 2025, has resulted in a payment to Camden through the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (EPR). The council has stated that more central government funding is required to support communities in the transition to a circular economy as well as adapting local service to new materials flows created by a changing economy.
The council's draft Climate Action Plan 2026-2030 outlines five key outcomes for a local circular economy:
- Businesses minimising waste and environmental impact.
- Businesses investing in community sharing and repair initiatives.
- Residents minimising and recycling waste.
- Residents accessing healthy and sustainable food options.
- Residents accessing reuse and repair services.
These outcomes serve as metrics for success, as outlined in the Becoming a Circular Economy Borough report. Specifically, the council aims to ensure that businesses in Camden minimise their waste, including food waste and single-use packaging, and lower the environmental impact from their operations, with surplus resources being put to use wherever possible. The plan also focuses on enabling residents to minimize and recycle their waste, access healthy and sustainable local food options, and participate in community-led food-related projects.
Councillor Nina De Ayala Parker and Councillor Julian Fulbrook proposed a motion calling on the government to support these local efforts by:
- Replacing weight-based recycling targets.
- Addressing local authority income risks from the Deposit Return Scheme.
- Expanding the
right to repair
for consumer electronics. - Funding a national repair-voucher scheme.
- Publishing a national indicators framework for the Circular Economy Strategy.
Within Camden's new Local Plan, Policy CC3 seeks to ensure that development in Camden shifts towards a circular economy approach, which reduces waste and uses resources more efficiently.