WRAP Cymru, the Welsh branch of the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), is calling on businesses wishing to develop small-scale reprocessing facilities, separate recycling collections, or bring sites, to apply to its Accelerating Reprocessing Infrastructure Development (ARID) programme.
Funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Welsh Government, ARID seeks to reduce levels of waste deposited in landfill by developing reprocessing capacity in Wales’s Convergence Region (North West Wales, West Wales and the South Wales Valleys).
From today (3 April), businesses in the Convergence Region can apply for up to 40 per cent of total capital expenditure to develop small-scale reprocessing facilities (up to £166,000), source-segregated recycling collections, or bring sites (up to £50,000).
While the emphasis is on the Welsh Government’s target materials (plastics (in particular film and non-bottle dense plastics), card, glass, WEEE, textiles and food waste), ‘exceptional projects’ working with other materials may be considered.
However, WRAP Cymru has said it is particularly looking for ‘innovative projects which focus on quality’.
It is hoped that by boosting funding in this kind of infrastructure, Wales could ‘grow the market for high quality recyclate’.
To be eligible for ARID support, businesses must employ fewer than 250 people and have a turnover of less than €50 million (£41 million).
WRAP Cymru European Projects Manager Bettina Gilbert said: “ARID has come to epitomise the very best of the Welsh resource management sector, supporting growing businesses throughout the convergence region. With most of the funding already allocated, we want to raise the standard even higher and fund only the most innovative projects.”
Funding will be allocated on a first come, first served basis and it is anticipated that applications will close ‘during the first half of the financial year’.
Since its introduction in late 2011, ARID has supported 39 businesses, which have created over 140 new jobs in the waste and recycling sector.
Find out more about the ARID programme.
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