Stephen Morgan MP is set to take action to tackle waste in Portsmouth’s local economy as he signs the Restart Project’s ‘Repair and Reuse Declaration’, which aims to reduce electronic waste and promote community initiatives to support repair and refurbishment of preloved items.
It comes as the Restart Project launch this year’s Repair Day on 21 October, seeking to raise awareness of the potential role of repair in the economy and shift public perception that fixing products is too difficult, costly and time-consuming.
The Restart Project was born in 2013 in response to the UK’s growing electronic and plastic waste problem, with UK on track to be the highest producer of electronic waste per capita in the world.
The project aims to promote community repair initiatives across the country, to ensure repair and reuse services are accessible with the interest of creating a less wasteful economy.
Portsmouth has its own Repair Café run by volunteers, who work to give products a second life through repairing faulty items and providing local Portsmouth people with an alternative option to spending money on a new model.
Mr Morgan will be visiting the Repair Café next week to learn more about the service and how he can support greater accessibility for repair and reuse initiatives in Portsmouth.
Commenting on Repair Day, Stephen Morgan MP said:
“I am delighted to show my support to the Restart Project on Repair Day, a brilliant initiative that shows that we can become sustainable while making life easier for ordinary working people.
“Repair and reuse services have the potential to become a fundamental part of our local economy as we look to move towards net zero, reduce living costs and promote green skilled jobs in Portsmouth.
“That’s why I’m signing the Repair and Reuse Declaration, to show my commitment to promoting a less wasteful economy.”
Commenting on Repair Day, Co-Director of the Repair Project Clare Seek said:
“Most people don’t like throwing away usable things, especially when struggling with the cost of living crisis, but it can be really hard to give products a second life through repair and reuse.”
“Government policies can stem the tide of throwaway products through making repair easier, cheaper and more accessible, and making reuse a priority over recycling.”
“That’s why we’re endorsing the new Repair & Reuse Declaration and hoping that Government make some truly impactful change.”
Mr Morgan has made protecting Portsmouth’s precious environment one of his top priorities and has been a strong supporter of community initiatives seeking to promote a green and sustainable transition in the local economy. He previously signed the Repair Declaration in 2018.
