3.137 The Government wants England to move towards a 'zero waste economy' in which material resources are re-used, recycled or recovered, wherever possible, and only disposed of as the option of last resort. This means reducing the amount of waste that is produced and ensuring that all material resources are fully valued - financially and environmentally - both during their productive life and at 'end-of-life' as waste.
3.138 This will help deliver a healthier natural environment and reduced impacts on climate change, but also improve the competitiveness of UK businesses through better resource efficiency and innovation.
3.139 The Government's ambitions for waste, outlined in its Waste Policy Review, highlight the importance of having the appropriate waste reprocessing and treatment infrastructure built and operated effectively at all levels of the waste hierarchy to enable the most efficient treatment of waste and resources.17 Infrastructure must be responsive to handling waste streams and make the best use of innovations in science and technology.
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17 Waste Policy Review, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 2011)