(GUF) SCHEDULE 7

Environment Act 2021 - Resource Efficiency & Product Labelling - Signed, Sealed… Still Waiting for Delivery.

Credit where it’s due; the UK government has written some solid legislation. The Environment Act 2021 provides real potential to reshape how we design, label, and manage products, setting the stage for a more circular, repairable, and resource-efficient economy.

Is it as bold or detailed as the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) or Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)? No. But it’s still a vast improvement on what we’ve had before and that deserves recognition. Now, we just need to move from vision to action.

The Act lays the foundation for a UK-wide circular product economy. It gives ministers the power to enforce minimum design standards and mandatory product labelling to support more sustainable manufacturing and consumer choices.

The ultimate aim? To boost repair culture, cut waste at source, and drive smarter, longer-lasting design — once secondary regulations are finalised (expected 2025–2027 rollout).

Eco-Design Powers – What Can Be Enforced?

Under Schedule 7 of the Environment Act 2021, Ministers are empowered to introduce resource-efficiency standards requiring products to meet criteria such as:

• Energy efficiency
• Durability (e.g. minimum lifespan guarantees)
• Repairability (access to spares, ease of disassembly)
• Recyclability (e.g. ease of material separation, avoidance of composites)
• Use of recycled materials (e.g. minimum % thresholds)

These standards aim to eliminate resource-wasteful products and support a circular economy by design, not just by disposal.

Mandatory Environmental Labelling

This allows the government to require labelling schemes at the point of sale, helping consumers make informed choices.

Labels could include:

• Product lifespan or expected usage cycles
• Repairability score (tools required, spare part access)
• Recyclability rating (ease of separation, coatings, fixings)
• % of Recycled content
• Disposal or reuse guidance

It’s all about shifting the market away from throwaway culture and toward transparency, trust, and better design.

Green Public Procurement - Market Transformation Tool

Public sector tenders could reference these eco-design standards, ensuring suppliers comply in order to win contracts. This approach uses government spending power to drive circularity from both ends - regulation and procurement.

So… what are we waiting for? The legislation is there - the powers are granted - let’s go from intent to implementation. 45 things to know about the Act - link - waste labelling - link - schedule 7 - link - more like this (random) - link