London Waste and Recycling Board

London Waste and Recycling Board

The London Waste and Recycling Board (operating as ReLondon) was formed in 2007 as a joint statutory body between the Mayor of London and the 32 London boroughs plus the City of London. It was capitalized with an initial fund of approximately £100 million drawn from central government and the London Development Agency, placing it among the UK's early dedicated public-sector circular-economy investors. Dr Liz Goodwin, previously CEO of the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), has chaired the board since 2018, while Wayne Hubbard leads day-to-day operations as CEO. ReLondon deploys capital through two distinct tracks: a business support and investment programme targeting early-stage circular-economy ventures, and strategic infrastructure grants aimed at borough-level recycling, reuse, and waste-minimization projects. The investment arm has backed enterprises developing reusable packaging systems, food-waste valorization technology, and repair-and-refurbishment logistics. Public record confirms the board has committed tens of millions of pounds to initiatives spanning London's boroughs, material-recovery facility upgrades, and public awareness campaigns. The organization also partners with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation on plastics-economy innovation and co-funds Policy Connect to run All-Party Parliamentary Groups on waste and resource policy. The board operates from County Hall on the South Bank and is governed by a board that includes the Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban MBE, alongside borough representatives. While total deployment since inception has not been centrally publicized, the initial £100 million fund has been supplemented by leveraged co-funding from private investors, borough council budgets, and national government programmes over two bidding rounds. The board does not charge fees or manage third-party capital but acts as a public-benefit investment trust with a mandate to catalyze London's transition to a low-carbon circular city. Structurally, ReLondon is distinct from a venture fund or sovereign vehicle: it is a statutory public body whose investment returns are measured in tonnes of waste diverted, carbon abated, and jobs created in London's green economy. Its dual role as both a direct investor and a policy convener — co-located with the GLA's broader environment team and accountable to both the Mayor and the boroughs — creates a governance model that blends hard infrastructure finance with soft citywide behavioral-change targets.