A new grant has been unveiled today to help improve recycling
rates. The new recycling grant is part of the £18 million Resource
Action Fund, launched by Defra in May 2019.
The Resources and Waste Strategy for England sets out ambitions to
significantly increase municipal waste recycling in line with the
adoption of the European Circular Economy Package targets of a 55%
recycling rate by 2025, 60% by 2030 and 65% by 2035. The aim of
this grant is to provide capital support to increase recycling
infrastructure for non-household municipal waste.
Non-household municipal waste (NHM) is defined as that similar in
profile to household waste (including packaging, paper and food
waste) which is generated by sectors such as hospitality and food
service, education, health, transport, retail, wholesale and
offices. The national recycling rate for NHM sector waste is
currently around 40%, although there are variances across
sectors, company sizes and locations.
To help support new opportunities to increase NHM recycling, £1m
capital funding is available to organisations that either collect
or facilitate collection of this waste to:
- provide new or improved recycling services/operations that
will increase the volume of NHM waste being recycled; and
- provide new infrastructure and better access to services
targeting/benefiting Small and Medium Business Enterprises
(SMEs).
Project proposals will need to demonstrate a level of innovation
that goes beyond the current industry norm, and offer effective
communication approaches to guide and support SMEs who are
signing up to the new services.
For example, project proposals could include:
- Alterations to Materials Recycling Facilities (MRFs) to
provide new or increased capacity for NHM waste materials
- Alterations to existing site or new bring sites allowing NHM
waste
- Dedicated micro bring sites located on the likes of business
parks
Peter Maddox, director at WRAP says “There is a big opportunity
to increase non household municipal waste in England. Grants like
this enable us to help businesses to test out innovative ways to
tackle their recycling issues. I am delighted that this money is
being made available and I’m looking forward to seeing what
applicants will bring to the table.”
A Defra spokesperson said: “Valuable waste ending up in landfill
makes no sense environmentally or economically. Currently only
just over a third of business waste is recycled, so there is huge
potential to recycle more.
“Through our landmark Resources and Waste Strategy we will boost
recycling from all sources. That’s why we are encouraging
organisations to apply for our grant to help drive up the
recycling of this waste through game-changing innovations.”
The grants will be managed by WRAP and individual awards will
range from £25,000 to £170,000. Further information and an
application form for an outline proposal can be found at
wrap.org.uk/content/resource-action-fund
