Key Takeaways from the CIWM Resource Conference in Cardiff

RECOUP attended the CIWM Resource Conference Cymru held at Sofia Gardens in Cardiff on 25 March 2026. The event drew a strong turnout and featured talks focused on Welsh local authority initiatives, requirements to move towards a more circular economy, learnings from flexible plastic collection trials, and policy updates.

Key takeaways from the event included:

• A change in mindset is required in order to work towards a true circular economy.
• Products should be seen as a service, where ownership is not always necessary, with options such as leasing reducing end of life barriers.
• Repair and reuse are also key. By keeping our resources in use for as long as possible and focusing on extending a products life, the demand for new products is reduced, as is the associated environmental impact.
• Products need to be designed with reuse and the circular economy in mind. There are limits to what can be done with a resource that is already on the market, however being design led opens up opportunities.
• Materials should be seen as a commodity with a value, even when classed as ‘waste’.
• Adopting a risk appetite is necessary. A successful circular economy will not be achieved without risk, but this can be minimized by working collaboratively as a whole supply chain.
• Communication campaigns can be imperative to driving behaviour change, participation, and ultimately the success of an initiative.
• An educational platform is required to target messaging around sustainability and the circular economy to younger generations, in order to build the skill set required and foster innovation in the sector.