Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) is offering commercial and third-sector organisations awards of up to £100,000 to trial collections for remanufacture and reuse.
According to ZWS, the remanufacturing sector in Scotland could increase in value by £620 million by 2020 and create up to 5,700 jobs if support is given to it. The industry is currently valued at around £1.1 billion and employs 17,000 people.
As such, ZWS has launched ‘Innovation in Collection for Remanufacture and Reuse: Funding for Trials (3RM003-100)’, a competitive scheme that will provide awards of up to £100,000 across two years to companies ‘with a commercially sustainable, robust business plan that potentially plugs into existing networks and could create jobs and training opportunities’.
These could include:
- trialling or supporting of collection trials (such as kerbside collections of reusable items, or recycling centres for small electronics);
- working with the community sector to further develop furniture reuse shops; and
- using reverse logistics and collection hubs for industrial machinery equipment for remanufacture.
Bidders will need Revolve accreditation (or equivalent certification for private sectors) and can apply for individual or collaborative bids. The funding will be available to cover capital and revenue costs, and applications can be made under either de minimis or General Block Exemption mechanisms.
Bids must be received by 18 September 2015.
‘Capturing the high-value products currently gathering dust’
Speaking of the new fund, Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland Iain Gulland, said: “The remanufacturing sector presents a fantastic economic opportunity for Scotland, and Zero Waste Scotland is focused on getting the right infrastructure and supply of products and materials in place for Scotland to reap the rewards.
“Enabling the return of high-value, priority products and materials, like electronics and machinery, back into remanufacture is the key to developing a thriving, profitable remanufacture and reuse economy in Scotland and is the focus of the latest initiative from Zero Waste Scotland to boost these sectors.
“We are looking for innovative solutions to the challenges of capturing the high-value products currently gathering dust or otherwise falling through the cracks in homes as well as commercial and industrial premises that could be feeding a remanufacturing boom.”
The launch of the award funding follows on from ZWS’ increasing focusing onn repair and remanufacture, which led to the opening of a new Scottish Institute of Remanufacture earlier this year.
Find out more about Zero Waste Scotland and the remanufacturing and reuse funding trials.
Get our weekly digest
resource.co article ai
How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.