environment – Page 96 – The NEN

Clean Air Day: are cars electric?

To encourage more people to drive an electric vehicle on Clean Air Day Scotland, (today, Thursday 8^th October), the UK’s largest national car club network, Enterprise Car Club, is offering members up to £40 free driving credit when they book any of its 24 electric cars based in Scotland.

The vehicles are located in in dedicated bays with their own charging points in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Stirling and Fife (at Lochgelly and Cardenden).

Enterprise has also permanently expanded its Scottish car club fleet with 10 brand new electric vehicles to give more drivers the opportunity to try the technology for free on Clean Air Day Scotland, and beyond, bringing the total up to 24 plug-in electric cars. All 24 cars are either a 2019 or 2020 40kWh Nissan Leaf and feature the latest environmentally friendly technology and 180 miles of range.

Every Enterprise Car Club vehicle is cleaned between each rental and is backed by the Complete Clean Pledge, an enhanced series of cleaning and hygiene measures to bring reassurance to renters since COVID-19 and ensure that car club use continues to be a reliable motoring option.

The Complete Clean Pledge includes vacuuming and sanitising with a disinfectant that meets leading health authority requirements, with particular attention to more than 20 high-touch points.

Clean Air Day is the UK’s largest air pollution campaign. Dozens of ‘virtual’ promotional events involving hundreds of people, including school children, are being held across Scotland with the campaign led by Environmental Protection Scotland (EPS) on behalf of the Scottish Government.

Enterprise is seeing growing support for its electric vehicle fleet across the UK. While the majority of renters drive fewer than 50 miles when they use an electric vehicle, many are regular users and happy to drive an electric car for 100 miles or more per day. People booking the vehicles can check the charge level on the Enterprise app to ensure that it is ready to meet their needs.

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said, “We know that the number of people in Scotland who would consider buying an electrical vehicle continues to increase year on year, so what better way to mark Clean Air Day than to allow them to try driving one for free?

“We also know that the price point for new vehicles remains high for many, despite prices coming down as demand increases. Car clubs are a fantastic opportunity for more drivers to enjoy the benefits of an electric vehicle and will help us in our bold ambition to phase out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2032.”

EPS Policy and Communications Officer John Bynorth said: “Having recently hired an electric vehicle to drive from Glasgow to Inverness and back, I can say this is a fantastic way to travel about the country in an environmentally friendly way.

“There are zero exhaust tailpipe emissions from EVs, making them the cleanest vehicles on our roads and helping to improve air quality. The average distance between any given location in Scotland and the nearest charging point is just 2.78 miles and there are over 3,600 charge-points, with multi-vehicle charging hubs in Dundee and Falkirk. We encourage motorists to rent an Enterprise Car Club electric vehicle and help make October 8 the cleanest Clean Air Day yet.”

“We are delighted to be supporting Clear Air Day Scotland by giving people an extra incentive to try driving an electric vehicle,” said Diane Mulholland, General Manager for Enterprise Scotland.

“Car clubs benefit communities in many ways and have been proven to reduce mileage because people only pick them up when a car is absolutely the right vehicle for a trip. A shared electric vehicle not only reduces road traffic – it also means zero emissions. We’re very proud to have Scotland’s largest publicly available EV fleet, and we’re looking forward to seeing more people trying them out.”

Enterprise Car Club is the UK’s largest national network of on-street low emission car club vehicles and is one of the most convenient ways to get motoring quickly. Members can book Enterprise Car Club with an app, open the vehicle with a smartphone and head off on their trip within moments.

Members of Enterprise Car Club can pick up any of the 1,400 on-street vehicles currently available for rent in more than 180 cities, towns and communities across the UK at many locations including on-street, at Enterprise Rent-A-Car branches, at railway stations and in many housing development.

Car clubs have been shown to bring a range of benefits. They can reduce CO2 emissions, help towns and cities to improve air quality, encourage the adoption of electric vehicles, make business travel policies greener, promote shared transport and encourage active travel.

Membership to Enterprise Car Club costs from £2 per month. Vehicles can be booked either by the hour or by the day. Check the Enterprise Car Club website for more information on the Scotland Clean Air Day promotion.

Britain to ‘build back greener’

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set out new plans to Build Back Greener by making the UK the world leader in clean wind energy – creating jobs, slashing carbon emissions and boosting exports.

£160 million will be made available to upgrade ports and infrastructure across communities like in Teesside and Humber in Northern England, Scotland and Wales to hugely increase our offshore wind capacity, which is already the largest in the world and currently meets 10 per cent of our electricity demand.

This new investment will see around 2,000 construction jobs rapidly created and will enable the sector to support up to 60,000 jobs directly and indirectly by 2030 in ports, factories and the supply chains, manufacturing the next-generation of offshore wind turbines and delivering clean energy to the UK.

Through this, UK businesses including smaller suppliers will be well-placed to win orders and further investment from energy companies around the world and increase their competitive standing on the global stage, as well as supporting low-carbon supply chains.

The Prime Minister has also set out further commitments to ensure that, within the decade, the UK will be at the forefront of the green industrial revolution as we accelerate our progress towards net zero emissions by 2050.

These include:

Confirming offshore wind will produce more than enough electricity to power every home in the country by 2030, based on current electricity usage, boosting the government’s previous 30GW target to 40GW.
Creating a new target for floating offshore wind to deliver 1GW of energy by 2030, which is over 15 times the current volumes worldwide. Building on the strengths of our North Sea, this brand new technology allows windfarms to be built further out to sea in deeper waters, boosting capacity even further where winds are strongest and ensuring the UK remains at the forefront of the next generation of clean energy.
Setting a target to support up to double the capacity of renewable energy in the next Contracts for Difference auction, which will open in late 2021 – providing enough clean, low cost energy to power up to 10 million homes

These commitments are the first stage outlined as part of the Prime Minister’s ten-point plan for a green industrial revolution, which will be set out fully later this year. This is expected to include ambitious targets and major investment into industries, innovation and infrastructure that will accelerate the UK’s path to net zero by 2050.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Our seas hold immense potential to power our homes and communities with low-cost green energy and we are already leading the way in harnessing its strengths.

“Now, as we build back better we must build back greener. So we are committing to new ambitious targets and investment into wind power to accelerate our progress towards net zero emissions by 2050.

“This sets us on our path towards a green industrial revolution, which will provide tens of thousands of highly-skilled jobs.”

Together with planned stringent requirements on supporting UK manufacturers in Government-backed renewables projects, these measures will mean the industry can reach its target of 60% of offshore wind farm content coming from the UK.

Business and Energy Secretary Alok Sharma said: “The offshore wind sector is a major British success story, providing cheap, green electricity while supporting thousands of good-quality jobs.

“Powering every home in the country through offshore wind is hugely ambitious, but it’s exactly this kind of ambition which will mean we can build back greener and reach net zero emissions by 2050.”

Today’s announcement marks the latest stage of the UK Government’s support for renewable energy. Last September the third round of the Contracts for Difference renewable energy auction delivered record-low prices on enough clean energy to power 7 million homes. Earlier this year the Government announced the next round would be open to onshore wind and solar projects for the first time since 2015.

The UK has the largest installed capacity of offshore wind in the world, with around 10GW in operation off its coasts.

The Government’s plan for renewable energy forms part of wider efforts to ensure the UK meets its legally binding target to reach net zero emissions by 2050 and build back greener from coronavirus.

Over the past decade, the UK has cut carbon emissions by more than any similar developed country. In 2019, UK emissions were 42 per cent lower than in 1990, while our economy over the same period grew by 72 per cent.

Hugh McNeal, CEO of RenewableUK, said: “The Government has raised the ambition for offshore wind and renewables, and our industry is ready to meet the challenge. A green recovery with renewables at its heart will be good for consumers and jobs, as well as helping to meet our 2050 net zero emissions target.

“Support for new floating wind projects will ensure the UK stays at the forefront of global innovation in renewables, and provides new opportunities in the low carbon transition.”

Energy UK’s Chief Executive, Emma Pinchbeck, commented: “The UK’s power sector has reduced emissions by nearly 70%, but we know we need to go further and faster on the road to Net Zero. The energy industry will work with Government to turn our world-leading low carbon power sector into a Green Recovery for the whole economy.

“The package of support for offshore and floating wind announced by the Prime Minister today takes a UK decarbonisation success story and winds it up to a scale fit for the Green Recovery, creating jobs and billions of pounds of investment.

“We need to build back better for the environment, for the economy and for communities. We look forward to the Prime Minister’s ten-point plan for the low carbon industrial revolution, later this autumn.”

Keith Anderson, CEO of ScottishPower said: “These bold ambitions and clear targets are exactly the right signals at exactly the right time. They will encourage long-term investment and innovation from the renewables industry – and they will boost employment and economic benefits right across the UK.

“ScottishPower is committed to doubling down on our commitments to delivering 100% clean green energy that matches the UK’s aim to cut emissions for every home.”

Benj Sykes, Industry Chair of OWIC, said: “Offshore wind is on track to become the backbone of Britain’s electricity system, providing reliable, low-cost clean power to homes and businesses across the country.

“The industry is investing tens of billions of pounds in new offshore wind projects, supporting local economies and employment in communities across the UK. Our global leadership in offshore wind, coupled with new support for investment in ports, will help unlock the huge opportunity for the UK to build a world-leading, competitive supply chain.”

Alistair Phillips-Davies, CEO of SSE said: “We welcome today’s announcement which will help ensure that more low cost offshore wind can be deployed before 2030, creating green jobs and putting the UK on the right path to net zero.

“This complements SSE’s own plans to invest over £7.5 billion in low carbon infrastructure over the next five years, including building the largest offshore wind farm in the world at Dogger Bank with Equinor.”

Western General group is local litter picking hub

As part of its commitment to supporting local communities to tackle local litter issues, environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful is creating 20 new litter picking hubs across Scotland by providing free litter picking equipment that will be available for individuals and groups to borrow, following strict social distancing and safety guidance.

In Edinburgh, the Sustainability Committee at the Western General Hospital will receive a kit, making the group the first hub in the Edinburgh area.

You can contact the local hub by email at ECRF.sustainability@ed.ac.uk

The 20 community groups from across the country are the second collection of litter picking hubs established in Scotland, following eleven created last month.

Through these hubs, Keep Scotland Beautiful is striving to empower communities who are frustrated by litter which worsened during lockdown and over the summer.

Polling commissioned by Keep Scotland Beautiful in June shows that 30% of people think that litter has got worse in their local area during lockdown.

Barry Fisher, Chief Executive at Keep Scotland Beautiful, commented: “During lockdown, many of us spent time enjoying our local parks and green spaces.

“Lockdown showed us how important these areas are to our health and well-being. Unfortunately, a minority of people have behaved in an irresponsible and selfish manner, dropping their rubbish, leaving it for others to clean up and spoiling our beautiful country.

By using the litter picking hubs, people will be able to tackle litter in the areas they care about and help Clean Up Scotland.”

The funding for these Helping Hands litter kits has been provided by Zero Waste Scotland, and will see kits containing ten litter pickers, gloves, bag hoops and hi vis vests to allow people to take part in either individual or two household litter picks.

The community groups will also be able to access posters and social media content to help encourage people to look after their local places and keep Scotland beautiful.

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “Litter has no place in a circular economy. Discarding resources like plastic, metal and glass not only blights our communities, it also wastes valuable materials that should be being kept in use for as long as possible.

“Whether it has been our local streets, parks, woodland, countryside or coastline, recent months have highlighted how valuable our environment is to so many of us and why it needs to be kept that way.

“It is a shame these are needed, but the litter picking hubs will give communities the opportunity to tackle the nuisance of litter and ensure the areas they love can continue to look their best.”

Further detail of these hubs can be found here on the Clean Up Scotland website: https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/local-environmental-quality/clean-up-scotland/clean-up-scotland-map/

Climate changing carbon dioxide emissions from industrial sites drop 57% in a decade

Climate changing carbon dioxide emissions from SEPA regulated industrial sites drop 57% in a decade – down 5% in the last year.
2019 Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) contains data from 1,327 regulated sites published by Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

The Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) 2019 data – this year experimental official statistics – was published today 29 September 2020 by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. This year’s data covers annual mass releases of specified pollutants to air and water and information on off-site waste transfers from 1,327 SEPA regulated industrial sites.

Greenhouse gases

The two largest contributing pollutants in terms of emissions are carbon dioxide and methane which drive the overall greenhouse gas trend.

While carbon dioxide continues to drive the overall emissions trend and remains the largest contributing pollutant in terms of the emissions for 2019, the data shows Scotland’s carbon dioxide emissions have reduced significantly in the last 10 years. Emissions of the gas are down 57 per cent in the decade and 5 per cent annually to around 11,293,146,000 kg since 2018.

Whilst overall carbon dioxide emissions fell by 5% in the last year, direct emissions from those waste and waste-water management sector facilities required to report under SPRI increased by 76% over the last decade, partly driven by a move towards waste incineration instead of landfill for residual waste management. However, their emissions of greenhouses gases remain small relative to the energy sector.

The shift away from landfill towards recycling and incineration has resulted in further reductions in direct Methane emissions. While methane does not remain in the atmosphere as long as carbon dioxide it is initially far more impactful on the climate because of how effectively it absorbs heat. Methane emissions decreased significantly – by 44% – over the decade to 2019, and by 4% between 2018 and 2019 to 26,777,357 kg.

	2010	2018	2019	% change 2010-2019	% change 2018-2019
Carbon dioxide	26,384,456,678	11,849,079,760	11,293,145,941	Down 57%	Down 5%
Methane	47,912,442	27,878,368	26,777,357	Down 44%	Down 4%
Nitrous Oxide	250,912	89,846	96,543	Down 61%	Up 8%
Hydrofluorocarbons	1,465	3,513	1,263	Down 14%	Down 64%
Perfluorocarbons	1,604	4,418	3,945	Up 146%	Up 11%
Sulphur Hexafluoride	207	107	221	Up 7%	Up 106%

All measurements in kilogrammes.

Energy transition

A number of variables influence SPRI emissions. In the long term, the shift away from use of coal as a fuel is a significant factor. Carbon dioxide emissions from the energy sector have fallen by around 70% since 2010, largely due to the closure of coal fired power stations. As emissions from the energy sector have fallen, releases from other sectors now form a greater proportion of the greenhouse gas emissions reported to SPRI.

Some of the decreases observed for these gases can be accounted for by investment in new technologies and renewables, and landfill gas recovery systems.

Wider economic drivers and the weather are other factors identified as affecting carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from SPRI sites.

Circular economy

Scotland’s progress towards a circular economy is also highlighted in both SPRI and separate ‘2019 Waste landfilled in Scotland’ and ‘2019 Waste incinerated in Scotland’ Official Statistics released today by SEPA.

As Scotland reduces, reuses and recycles more than ever before, waste which cannot be recycled is now being diverted from landfill as new energy from waste (incineration) infrastructure comes online. As a consequence methane emissions from the waste sector decreased by 47% over the decade, from a high ceiling of 40,868,900 kg in 2010, to 21,575,000 kg in 2019. Capture of gas at landfill sites has also contributed to the reduction.

Consequently, as methane emissions from landfill have reduced, carbon dioxide from incineration sites have increased 83% over the last decade from a low base of 1,090,000,000 kg to 2,000,000,000 kg in 2019. Emissions from this sector are small compared to that of the energy sector.

These trends represent direct emissions of greenhouse gases from specific parts of the waste management sector. They do not take into account efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle our waste. Scotland’s Carbon Metric shows that in 2018, the overall impact of Scotland’s waste management system – taking into account reduction, recycling, incineration and landfill – was 30% less than in 2011.

Terry A’Hearn, Chief Executive of SEPA, said: “These experimental official statistics chart the progress we’ve made as a nation with our globally ambitious climate change targets, with some pollutants emitted from regulated businesses falling in the last decade. They also reflect the realism of a modern, Western European economy in transition.

“The successful businesses of tomorrow will be those that are sustainable. As Scotland’s environmental regulator, our firm focus remains to helping Scottish businesses innovate and emerge stronger and more sustainably from the current public health pandemic, enabling leadership in a decade of climate emergency.”

Minor year-to-year fluctuations in pollutants can often be attributed to changes at a few sites, due to increases or decreases in production, changing source products and new sites opening. All pollutants have a reporting threshold, below which sites do not need to report a value to SPRI. An increase in production can move a site’s releases above the threshold, giving the appearance of a larger increase.

‘Vast majority of respondents’ support council’s Mobility Plan

The city council’s draft ‘vision’ for accessible, affordable and sustainable travel in Edinburgh has found support from two-thirds of respondents to a citywide consultation.

Sixty-seven per cent of respondents to the Draft City Mobility Plan consultation backed the strategy to overhaul transport and mobility over the next decade, including proposals to create a largely car-free city centre, introduce mass bike commuting on arterial routes and for seamless ticketing between different forms of transport. Seventy per cent of participants also agreed with the council’s shorter-term 2022 vision.

Between January and April more than 1800 comments were made on the draft plan, which sets out an approach to transforming the way we move people, goods and services to and around the Capital.

Engagement was carried out alongside consultation on the Choices for City Plan 2030, which sets out council proposed options for changes to policies in Edinburgh’s next local development plan.

Feedback will be discussed by Transport and Environment Committee on Thursday (1 October).

The council received ‘overwhelmingly ‘positive responses’ to a range of policy measures proposed as part of the plan. Amongst these, 83% support the co-ordination of bus, tram and bike hire operations, 78% approved of introducing transport hubs in new developments while 72% agreed with reducing levels of on-street parking.

Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “As a city we are making real headway in tackling the manifold challenges posed by climate change, poor air quality and congestion, to name a few, but there is always more to be done.

“It is extremely encouraging that the vast majority of respondents to our Draft City Mobility Plan consultation support our vision for sustainable, affordable and joined-up transport in the Capital.

“We understand the impact Covid-19 will have on any plans but we’re also aware of the positive effect quieter streets have had on walking, cycling and wheeling, with numbers surging during lockdown.

“As we progress with our vision we want to maintain this enthusiasm by providing more, improved options for travel by foot, bike, wheelchair and public transport.”

Transport and Environment Vice Convener Councillor Karen Doran said: “We are working towards an exciting future for transport and mobility here, with City Centre Transformation, the implementation of a Low Emission Zones and carbon neutrality by 2030 amongst our ambitious goals.

“The City Mobility Plan is integral to these schemes and this feedback will help us to create a final strategy which will benefit people across Edinburgh.”

The Draft City Mobility Plan addresses key challenges facing Edinburgh including rising CO2 emissions, poor air quality, congestion and issues accessing public transport, in the context of an increasing population and the threat of a climate emergency.

Proposals are grouped around four themes: Enhancing Public Transport, People Friendly Streets, Planning New Developments and Managing Demand.

The latest report also addresses the significant impact of Covid-19 on the way people move around the city, and the need to review the steps to our 2030 vision in light of this.

While the council received positive responses across the themes, detailed comments highlighted concerns associated with specific measures.

Amongst these was a desire for public transport to be quicker, calls for safer, car-free cycle routes and the need to retain disabled parking should on-street parking be reduced. This feedback will help identify issues we can mitigate as we progress with the plan, as well as opportunities to maximise the positive impact of proposals.

If agreed by Transport and Environment Committee, a finalised City Mobility Plan will be brought back to committee early next year. This will be informed by the consultation response, as well as a survey of travel behaviour across the city, Phase Two of the Edinburgh Sustainable Transport Study and assessment of the impacts of Covid-19 on travel needs.

A delivery plan packaging and phasing the implementation of actions and policy measures will be developed to support the finalised plan.

Read the full report, City Mobility Plan – Public Consultation and Engagement Key Messages and Next Steps, on the Council website.

Edinburgh Solar’s Phase 2 launches today

The installation of nearly 1MW of solar panels on at least six buildings in Edinburgh is planned by Edinburgh Community Solar Co-operative (ECSC) as they return for Phase 2 in their quest to make Edinburgh a cleaner and greener city.

To do this ECSC has launched a share offer on 28 September 2020 to raise £660,000 by the issue of £1 shares. The minimum investment is £100 and priority will be given to local residents who reside in the EH postcode districts.

The six sites are:

Kirkliston Leisure Centre

Gracemount Leisure Centre

Craiglockhart Leisure Centre

Waverley Court

Edinburgh Road Services

Sighthill Recycling Centre

In 2015 ECSC successfully launched their first share offer which resulted in over £1.4 million being raised that funded the installation of nearly 1.4MW of solar power on 24 buildings owned by City of Edinburgh Council.

Today ECSC continues to generate solar power from these buildings and members receive share interest on their investment as projected with all surplus profits allocated to the Community Benefit Fund which came into operation in 2018.

Speaking of the launch of the share offer, Lesley Hinds, Chair of ECSC, said “ECSC is an ethical, community-based, social enterprise. We came together with a plan to help reduce carbon emissions, address Fuel Poverty and make renewable energy more commonplace in our city.

“We especially welcome smaller amounts, as we would like as many people to join ECSC as possible, which is why the minimum investment is as low as we can make it.

“Parents and grandparents can also apply for shares in ECSC for their children and grandchildren or can apply for shares on their behalf and leave them in their will”.

Shares in ECSC are understood to be exempt from inheritance tax under present rules.

To find out more or to submit an application please visit https://www.edinburghsolar.coop/offer

Share offer closing date is 30 October 2020.

ECSC is supported and assisted byEnergy4All, the leading social enterprise in the UK for delivering community owned renewable energy schemes. Energy4All projects have raised over £80 million to build and operate community renewable energy generation all over the UK.

For more information please visit www.energy4all.co.uk

Edinburgh calls on manufacturers to foot recycling bill

69% believe taxpayers currently fund recycling but 67% believe manufacturers should pay instead
82% of Edinburgh residents confident in how to recycle
Standardised packaging and easier recycling system seen as motivators for future change
COVID-19 pandemic has had positive impact on recycling attitudes

A new survey by UK recycling company Viridor has found that Edinburgh residents believe the taxpayer should not be footing the bill for recycling and that manufacturers should be responsible for costs.

In a YouGov poll of 1,000 EH postcode residents, Viridor’s annual Recycling Index found 69% believe that they are carrying the cost of recycling in the area, with a majority (67%) saying that manufacturers should really be paying instead.

Despite growing consumer concern about the environment, recycling knowledge and understanding among Edinburgh residents remain high with 82% confident they are disposing of their waste correctly.

Indeed, more than half of those surveyed (54%) believe confidence in recycling has increased thanks to information provided by local councils, government and business, with the same percentage believing their local council does all it can to make recycling simple to follow.

Similar to the 2019 Index however, more standardised packaging and recycling instructions (69%), coupled with an easier recycling system (52%), would be a major motivator to encourage more people to recycle their household waste.

Reassuringly, the survey found that the increase in use and disposal of single-use products, for example face masks and plastic bottles, during the COVID-19 pandemic has not had a negative impact on attitudes to recycling, with more than half of those surveyed (55%) saying this makes it more important to find recycling solutions for all materials.

The 2020 Recycling Index also found that Edinburghers are ready to lead the charge with three quarters of those polled believing it is up to individuals to ensure their rubbish and waste is recycled.

However, the majority (85%) believe the council has a responsibility here, with three quarters also saying national government still has a key role to play in driving change. In addition, 87% believe non-recyclable waste should be used to create energy.

With an increasing focus on returning products to a circular economy and an increased use of recycled materials, the poll reveals around nine out of ten people would still buy their regular products if the packaging is updated to be more environmentally friendly, both in terms of material (87%) and coloured plastic (86%).

Sixty three per cent said they were more likely to purchase products made from recyclable packaging, however 44% of Edinburgh residents would not be prepared to pay any more money for these.

Labelling also remains a challenge with 39% of those surveyed admitting they still found current labelling on packaging confusing – representing a 6% increase on 2019’s survey. In spite of this however, 83% of Edinburgh residents say they do take notice of recycling information on product packaging.

The lack of uniformity in terms of recycling across different local councils continues to be recognised by consumers with only 29% of those surveyed believing recycling collections are consistent across the UK.

Viridor CEO Phil Piddington (above) said: “Viridor has been listening to consumer attitudes to recycling for five years and applying the lessons we’ve learnt to the way we run our business.

“Like Edinburgh residents, we think producers should bear the cost of recycling as not only is it important to take responsibility for everything we produce, this acts as a powerful motivating factor influencing product design.

“Viridor has always been very clear that the key to empowering the circular economy is ensuring that everything we produce is designed with recycling in mind. That’s why Viridor was a founding member of WRAP’s Plastic Pact, working with cross-sector partners to achieve the pact’s 2025 recyclability goals.”

Steven Don, Head of Local Authority Contracts Scotland, Viridor, said: “Our Recycling Index shows that the people of Edinburgh care about recycling and feel empowered to play their part.

“There is, however, always room for improvement, particularly in adapting recycling processes and ensuring information is as transparent as possible. We are making real progress in Scotland with Viridor currently working in partnership with more than 90% of Scottish councils to streamline services.

“Viridor has ambitious plans for Scotland’s circular economy which we shared earlier this summer. Our vision for a Scottish Circular Economy and Innovation Park will ensure the country is at the forefront of the green recovery.”

Community Energy Hub for North Edinburgh?

Edinburgh Community Solar Co-operative (ECSC) and North Edinburgh Arts (NEA) have agreed to support the creation of North Edinburgh Community Energy Hub, and want to invite you to an initial Zoom call with interested organisations to start this process.

The meeting will be held on Thursday (24^th September) at 6.30pm and the Zoom link to join is here:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9661004253

Meeting ID: 966 100 4253

ECSC is committed to helping Edinburgh become a net zero carbon city by 2030 but reduced funding and grant support for communities has meant that it is becoming increasingly difficult to raise awareness about the importance of reducing our carbon footprint, particularly in areas of high fuel poverty.

ECSC, in partnership with several key partners, believe that establishing a community energy hub in North Edinburgh and Leith, using buildings hosting ECSC solar panels as demonstrator sites, will increase neighbourhood awareness of renewable energy and encourage people to go ‘green’.

The establishment of a community renewable energy hub comprising a consortium of local community organisations. The Hub need not be a physical entity but could involve bringing together members of community groups across North Edinburgh & Leith which would form a knowledge base which groups or individuals could access for practical advice.

The ECSC Energy Plan paper is attached, with a link to Oxford Low Carbon Hub https://www.lowcarbonhub.org for information.

I hope you can join the meeting on the 24^th.

Yours sincerely

Kate Wimpress / Director

North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Court, EH4 4TZ

Tel: 0131 315 2151 / Direct: 0131 315 6410

See below the list of organisations who have previously expressed an interest, or who want to find out more now: Edinburgh Community Solar Co-operative

Edinburgh Leisure

Community Energy Scotland

Leith Crops in Pots

Muirhouse Housing Association

North Edinburgh Childcare

North Edinburgh Arts

Granton Walled Garden

Spartans Community Football Academy

Granton Information Centre

Changeworks

Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC)

Granton Hub

ECSC-Energy-Plan-Final Download

Scots encouraged to continue recycling to help the environment

RECYCLE WEEK 2020

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham is reminding everyone of the importance of recycling to Scotland’s green recovery.

Green economic growth after coronavirus (COVID-19) is at the heart of the recently announced Programme for Government with £70 million being earmarked to improve waste and recycling infrastructure as part of it.

This major investment is one of a number of initiatives planned to help increase recycling and build a circular economy.

These include Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme which is expected to capture 90% of single-use aluminium and steel cans, glass and plastic bottles, and the introduction of legislation to increase the minimum price of carrier bags from 5p to 10p.

Ms Cunningham said: “Long-term initiatives to tackle our throwaway culture and encourage a circular economy – helping people to reduce, reuse and recycle – are vital to our green recovery and ensuring we end Scotland’s contribution to climate change completely.

“It is heartening to see that carbon emissions from Scotland’s waste has reached a record low – an achievement only possible by everyone doing their bit. By recycling more, we can reduce this even further and with 80% of our carbon footprint coming from products and materials we use, there is more we can do.

“I would encourage people and communities to get involved with this year’s Recycle Week. By working together, we can all do our bit to improve the environment, help fight climate change and enable Scotland to meet its net zero target by 2045.”

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “Recycling as much as we can will reduce our carbon footprint and the materials we consume. We can do more by thinking differently, whether this is by re-evaluating how we work and live our day-to-day lives or by implementing new procedures to capture as much as we can from going to waste.

“We all need to play our part to tackle the climate crisis and make greater use of what we already have.”

Ending Scotland’s throwaway culture

Experts advise on replacing single-use items

A new report sets out how we must focus on reducing our dependence on single-use items and highlights the impact the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had on people’s behaviour, with new single-use items becoming part of everyday life.

It proposes five principles that can be used to consider how single-use items like cups, cutlery and sauce sachets can be reduced or replaced with alternatives to help combat waste and support Scotland’s journey to net zero.

It’s the second report to be published by a panel of experts tasked by the Scottish Government with advising how we can reduce our reliance on single-use items. Their first report, on disposable beverage cups, recommended a charge should be introduced.

The panel’s second suite of advice is intended to provide long-term support to decision making on reducing or removing single-use items from circulation, focusing attention on current problem items but also offering the framework of principles to help assess action when new single-use items become prevalent.

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “We were making substantial progress against single-use plastics before the Coronavirus pandemic and await evidence about the extent to which it has changed public attitudes and consumption of plastics and other single-use items.

“What is clear is that we must learn from our experience of lockdown – how we work, how we travel, how we live – and apply this to our approach to becoming a net-zero society.

“As this report points out, a thriving circular economy will play a critical role in ending Scotland’s contribution to climate change, and we must all – government, businesses, industry and individuals – be a part of driving this.

“I welcome this report, which will support our continuing journey to net zero and am grateful to the panel for the considered and expert advice they have provided .”

Chair of the Expert Panel on Environmental Charges and Other Measures Dame Sue Bruce said: “I hope that the Five Principles for Tackling Single-use Items will be useful to policy makers and organisations who want to use this opportunity to develop greener ways of working as they prepare for the “new normal” by considering how they can reduce dependence on single-use items and to focus on being part of the green recovery.

“There has never been a better time to take steps to reduce environmental harm arising from our everyday habits. This must continue to be a priority for us all if we are to achieve the goal of being a net-zero society by 2045.”

The report Ending the Throwaway Culture: Five Principles for Tackling Single-use Items is available on the Scottish Government website.

The five principles recommended by the Expert Panel to help policy design on single-use items are:

Essential Functions: Is the single-use item essential?
Evidence: What is known about the problem?
Equality: In solving the issue can we ensure equality?
Engagement: Who can tell us more about the issue?
Entire System: How is single-use reinforced by current practices, habits and infrastructure?