In the ESA’s new Annual Report, outgoing Chairman, Michael Topham, described 2025 as a “year of contrasting focus” as the association navigated both the immediate implementation of the Collection and Packaging Reforms while also setting out its longer-term vision for the UK’s circular economy.

Topham said that the implementation of Government’s Collection and Packaging Reforms necessitated a “sharp focus on the policy and regulatory details of this significant and vastly important transition” to deliver new services, infrastructure and reporting – but noted that the association had, at the same time, also set out its ambitious but pragmatic pathway for the UK’s circular economy in its Circular Economy Vision 2040 report. 

The Chair’s forward also reflects on a number of challenges persisting across the waste sector, including market conditions for recycled plastics; battery-related fires and waste crime – all of which stand as an impediment to achieving a circular economy by 2040 if left unaddressed.

The Annual Report, published today (Tuesday 10th February) reflects on key activities and outcomes in 2025 against the ESA’s four strategic priorities – Higher Standards, Sustainable Resource Use, Zero-Carbon and Effective Regulation – in particular looking at the success of policy engagement and the impact it has had on the delivery of key reforms, including Simpler Recycling, pEPR and the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). 

The Annual Report also reflects on the success of individual ESA members and showcases the investments they made in UK circular economy infrastructure throughout 2025. 

You can view and download a free full copy of the ESA’s Annual Report 2025 here.