WRAP Cymru, the Welsh arm of the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), is calling on businesses and third-sector organisations to help develop a new Welsh reuse network.
Plans for the reuse network were first announced in December, when the Welsh Government released its Waste Prevention Programme. According to the plan, the government aims to develop a reuse and repair programme that will include:
- a communications campaign;
- measures to encourage separate collections of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) at designated collection facilities and work with approved authorised treatment facilities (AATFs) to encourage more repair, reuse and resale at their facilities;
- the establishment of infrastructure for a reuse network including shared warehousing, establishing a phone line, and public communication; and
- the creation of standards for reuse to allow organisations to offer reused products that have been subjected to a quality assured process.
As such, the body is inviting all organisations with an interest in reuse, including third-sector and private organisations, to contribute ideas as to how the reuse network could work.
Ideas can be submitted both online or in person via one of two events: Tuesday, 18 February at Conwy Business Centre and Thursday, 20 February at the Maldron Hotel Cardiff. Both events will run from 09:30 – 15:30 and will include a free networking buffet lunch.
Organisations do not need to be based or operate in Wales to take part.
Speaking of the development of the network, Head of WRAP Cymru Beth Winkley said: “Wales has a thriving reuse sector which can make a major contribution to the nation’s zero waste plans. This is an exciting opportunity to help grow the sector, and I urge any organisation with an interest in reuse to come along to the events or take part online.”
The reuse network will fill a void left in the reuse sector in Wales following the closure of Cylch in September 2013. Largely funded by the Welsh Government (£300,000 of government funding was assigned to the network for 2012/13), Cylch provided 'information, advice and support to existing and emerging community reuse, recycling, composting and reprocessing organisations across Wales' and counted more than 50 recycling and reuse charities in its membership.
Read more about Wales’s Waste Prevention Programme
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