Think London | Environmental

The UK sector is worth $45 billion and is growing at more than 6% per year [1]

10 key facts about London’s environmental market.

Leading market: the UK environmental technology industry is the world’s fifth largest, comprising more than 17,000 companies and 400,000 workers. A fifth of its $45 billion turnover is exported [2].
Growing sector: the UK market for environmental consulting, monitoring and instrumentation is predicted to be worth more than $3.4 billion by 2010 [3].
Vast waste market: London produces more than 24 million tonnes of waste annually — 7.8 million tonnes from construction and demolition, 7.9 million tonnes from commerce and industry and 4.8 million tonnes from municipal solid waste [4].
Looming landfill crisis: many London councils are seeking new recycling and waste disposal solutions to meet the EU landfill diversion targets in 2010 and 2013. London needs capital investment to meet the Mayor’s London plan target to manage 85% of its own waste by 2020.
Investment in household recycling: 12% of household waste is recycled or composted [5] . The waste disposal market is forecast to rise to over $21 billion by 2010 [6]. UK law states that a third of household waste should be recycled or composted by 2015.
Emerging markets: the government’s Climate Change Programme aims to reduce CO2 emissions to 80% of 1990 levels by 2010. Land remediation for brownfield housing developments is an $808 million market, predicted to rise to more than $907 million by 2010.
Regulation-led opportunities: EU directives are forcing manufacturers to recycle waste at least 75% of the weight of every electronic and electrical product, creating a market predicted to be worth nearly $646 million. Recycling end-of-life vehicles is an emerging sector predicted to grow to around $800 million [7].
Leading brand base: four of the top 13 environmental consultancies have their headquarters in London — ERM, Scott Wilson, White Young Green Environmental and WSP Environmental. Waste management companies operating here include Biffa Waste Services, Cleanaway, Cory Environmental, EMR, Enviros, Shanks, SITA, Severnside, Remarkable, Thames Waste, Valpak, Veolia, and Waste Recycling Group (WRG).
Deep talent pool: this sector employs around 400,000 people, just under 18% of the UK total. UK universities are placing more emphasis on environmental studies to meet market demand, resulting in highly-qualified graduates and a good range of postgraduate research programmes in environmental sciences.
Hybrid legislative framework: the law spans European Union (EU) directives and UK legislation. UK targets cover household waste recycling and composting, CO2 emissions, renewable energy, housing and brownfield development, air quality, air pollution, noise and vibration, contaminated soil and hazardous waste.

We have excellent contacts with environmental bodies, service providers and research expertise such as London Remade, London Waste Action, The London Development Agency and London’s universities.

[1] Emerging Markets in the Environmental Sector (2006) DTI/Defra
[2] Global environmental markets and the UK environmental industry: opportunities to 2010 (2002) Joint Environmental Markets Unit
[3] Emerging Markets in the Environmental Sector (2006) DTI/Defra
[4] Reducing London’s Wasteline – Final Report (2005) SLR Consulting/London Remade
[5] needs updating
[6] Emerging Markets in the Environmental Sector (2006) DTI/Defra
[7] Environmental Technologies Opportunities in the UK, UK Trade & Investment, Nov 2003