Co-ops and social enterprises involved in recycling will be able to implement new zero waste projects thanks to a £5.4m investment from the Welsh government.
Announced by environment minister Hannah Blythyn, the scheme will see eight projects developed by social enterprises receive capital to help refurbish and repair unwanted items. A zero waste pilot project will also provide new recycling facilities to 24 schools in Pembrokeshire.
Crest Co-operative in North Wales is among the social enterprises that will receive £2.7m, along with Frame, a charity from Pembrokeshire and recycling social enterprise Newport Wastesavers.
The co-operative, which runs a series of recycling projects, will receive £1,020,000 to expand its reuse infrastructure in both Conwy and Denbighshire.
Set up with lottery grants in 1998, the community co-op operates a number of small enterprises providing services to communities in Conwy and Denbighshire. In addition to selling ore-loved furniture and electricals and running cafés, it also helps disabled and unemployed people increase their skills and gain employment.
Jay Martin, strategic business development manager for Crest, said the investment would lead to more jobs and apprenticeships through the expansion of its reuse workshops and stores in Llandudno Junction and Colwyn Bay. The co-op plans to open a new shop in Rhyl.
“In the last few years, our community reuse stores in Llandudno Junction and Colwyn Bay have experienced significant growth in sales of reuse furniture, clothing, mattresses and household goods with sales increasing month on month,” he said.
“Aside of the obvious environmental benefits of our reuse activities; they also make a significant contribution to addressing the poverty agenda by enabling low income individuals and families access to good quality furniture and electrical goods for a fraction of new cost.
“We anticipate that this capital grant will enable us to create new employment opportunities/ apprenticeships in our expanded and improved workshops and reuse retail stores during 2019.”
Hannah Blythyn said: “One of the best ways to reduce waste is to repair and refurbish items so they can be reused and some of these projects will improve facilities to enable this. We’re also investing in a pilot schools project to reduce waste and instil good habits from a young age.
“Where materials can’t be re-used, the next best method is to recycle, so we’re also investing in the machinery to better manage recyclable items.
“Wales is first in the UK, second in Europe and third in the world for household recycling, so out track record speaks for itself. The proportion of waste we recycle in Wales has increased dramatically, from 5% in 1999 to 63% last year.
“This range of new projects will not only help reduce waste in the coming years, it should lead to a cultural change in the longer term, helping us achieve our ambition to become a ‘Zero Waste Nation’ by 2050.”
