To UK policymakers,
The UK is the second highest producer of electronic waste per capita in the world. Yet we are falling behind other countries in support for repair and reuse to tackle throwaway products. Repair and reuse are central to achieving a truly circular, less wasteful, economy. They help to tackle climate change and achieve our net zero ambition, reduce living costs for UK households and create green skilled jobs.
We are the volunteers running community repair initiatives across the country, the organisations working to make repair and reused products accessible for everyone, and the businesses that are repairing, refurbishing and selling preloved items. Together we are responding to increasing public demand for repair services and skills, we’re advocating for a return to a strong UK fixing economy and we’re championing reuse to give products a second life.
We are working towards the future we all need – a future where repair is a thriving sector of our economy. Where products are designed to be durable and easily repairable by default and in which manufacturers actively support their products for as long as possible. A future where products are given a second life through reuse, repair is the easiest option for everyone when something breaks, and recycling is saved for the very end of a product’s useful life.
Community repair events are working towards this future, offering repair, building skills and boosting community cohesion in towns up and down the country. They demonstrate the public demand for repair services and skills, but so much more is required to meet this need.
We ask UK legislators and decision-makers at all levels to support repair and reuse to thrive.
This means:
- Making repair more affordable, through tax reductions and repair vouchers.
- Expanding the UK’s right to repair regulations to cover all consumer products, strengthen design standards and remove barriers to repair for everyone.
- Introducing a repair index to help the public choose more repairable and durable products.
- Introducing requirements and targets for reuse and repair to be prioritised over recycling and providing investment to make this a reality. This should be a key part of amended extended producer responsibility rules.
- Supporting a new generation of repairers through repair training, accreditation and apprenticeships.
If you are a UK policymaker and would like to endorse the declaration, please email us at: policy@therestartproject.org.