Between 16th – 22nd May, Greenpeace and Everyday Plastic are running the Big Plastic Count, and the Greenpeace Edinburgh Group is taking part.
This will be the UK’s biggest ever investigation into household plastic waste, and what really happens to our recycling.
The UK produces more plastic waste per person than almost any other country, only the USA is worse.
We need to take much faster action to clean up this plastic mess, which spoils Edinburgh’s neighbourhoods, and harms our climate, nature and health.
This year, the government is starting to decide on legal targets to reduce plastic waste. Greenpeace Edinburgh volunteers want them to set a target to reduce single-use plastic by 50% by 2025 and ban dumping our waste onto other countries.
I still can’t believe how much plastic I end up with every time I do a supermarket shop. It has gotten to the point that I hardly even notice all the wrapping I bring home because it has felt impossible to find plastic-free versions of my favourite products.
But every time my bin hits its spilling point, my single-use plastic shame stares me in the face. Do we really need bananas wrapped in plastic? Or little crisp bags wrapped in a bigger bag just for convenience?
It would be best to stop producing so much plastic in the first place but if we could at least find ways to make recycling easy and rewarding. For instance, if we could take our plastic bottles back to the shop and receive a small refund then Leith Links would be squeaky clean.
Greenpeace volunteers have been taking action on plastic pollution for years. For example, in September 2021 we did a beach clean, where the majority of rubbish was plastic that should have been recycled, or even better, not produced in the first place.
We, like lots of other Edinburgh residents are trying to do their bit, and Government, supermarkets and brands need to do theirs to cut plastic too.
Posters designed by primary and secondary school pupils in Edinburgh are to front a city-wide campaign aimed at boosting recycling rates in classrooms.
The six striking and colourful designs were chosen from more than 900 entries to a poster competition run by the City of Edinburgh Council for P4-S2 pupils.
And, as well as encouraging recycling, the posters highlight the benefits that recycling food, paper and plastics brings to Edinburgh and the natural world.
Posters by Kayleigh Mok from James Gillespie’s Primary School, Coral Creswell from St Thomas of Aquin’s RC High School and Charlotte McPhail from Flora Stevenson Primary School, will be displayed in all primary and special education needs schools across the city.
Artwork by Arran Smith from Davidson’s Mains Primary School, Arla Howe-Speirs from East Craigs Primary School, Elise Ballinger from Preston Street Primary School, will feature in all Edinburgh secondary schools.
The posters are part of a move by the City of Edinburgh Council to ensure a consistent approach to waste management in schools across the city.
From after the Easter holidays (April 25th) dry-mixed recycling and food bins will be offered to all primary, secondary and special education need schools in the capital.
Schools will be supported with information and materials helping to show what items can be placed in each bin, as well as materials, including lesson plans, aimed at raising awareness of the benefits of recycling as the city moves towards its target of net zero emissions by 2030.
The move follows on from a primary school Youth Climate Summit held in the run up to COP26 last year, which found that pupils overwhelmingly wanted more recycling facilities in their schools, to help tackle waste and support climate action.
Leader of the Council, Adam McVey said: “We know for many schools in Edinburgh, taking steps to become more sustainable and cutting our carbon footprint has become part of daily life.
“These fantastic posters really help to highlight the importance of recycling and the benefits that it can bring to Edinburgh, from helping to protect our wildlife, to turning food waste into electricity.
“And, we hope this campaign will help to provide schools who just need a little extra support, to make it as easy as possible for pupils, teachers and school staff to make changes, that make a difference and help create a cleaner, greener city.”
Deputy Leader of the Council, Cammy Day said: “Highlighting the environmental and social benefits of cutting down on waste and making it even easier to recycle in schools across the city, will help introduce green habits to Edinburgh’s young people which will last a lifetime.
“It’s really important we all get in the habit of disposing of our waste correctly and reusing and recycling where we can. Making sure there are the same systems and approach to waste in schools across the city will make it even easier for pupils and school staff to help Edinburgh reach its climate targets.”
Environmental campaigners have hailed the news that plans for a major incinerator at Stonehouse in South Lanarkshire have been cancelled after sustained community opposition.
Viridor, one of the UK’s biggest waste management companies, has cancelled plans to build what would have been Scotland’s largest incinerator. The decision comes as the Scottish Government’s independent review considers the future of incineration.
The Overwood incinerator could have burned 330,000 tonnes of rubbish and would have led to a substantial rise in vehicles on the road in the area and subsequently a rise in air and noise pollution too.
Kim Pratt, Circular Economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland said: “This is a huge victory for the Stonehouse community and they should be proud of their efforts.
“Viridor have made this decision before the findings of the Scottish Government’s review into incineration are published next month, signalling that even large waste management companies know that time is up for incineration in Scotland.
“This decision shows that the current moratorium on new incineration applications should be extended immediately and that Scotland needs an exit strategy from incineration if it is to meet its climate goals. “We need to see a greater focus on reducing waste and recycling, and we must stop burning our valuable resources if we are to bring down the consumption levels that are wrecking the planet.”
Dovesdale Action Group have led the local campaign against the project, blocking earlier plans for a similar incinerator nearby and leading the huge community response opposing the Overwood plant.
John Young, from the Dovesdale Action Group said, “The announcement by Viridor to withdraw their proposal for the largest incinerator in Scotland is testament to the strength of the campaign here in South Lanarkshire to protect our communities from the impact it would have had on our rural landscape, public health, the environment and climate change.
“This is the second time we have fought and defeated proposals for such a development.
“This campaign has raised the issues of incineration to a national level in understanding the threats such proposals have on our climate targets, recycling targets and protecting communities across Scotland. Today ‘nature’ is telling us the time has come to think differently about how we manage our waste and produce goods.
“Dovesdale Action Group and communities want to see a national policy in Scotland that reflects our aspirations of a cleaner, greener society and we hope that the national review of incineration reflects the need for change and sees Scotland take an international role in leading that change globally.”
Scottish household waste data shows that incineration rates have risen rapidly over the last decade. In 2011, households burnt 70,000 tonne of waste but by 2020 that figure had risen to 606,000 tonnes.
Over the same period the amount of waste recycled has fallen and Scotland now has the worst recycling rates in the UK. Scotland currently has six working incinerators for household waste and a capacity to burn 1.6 million tonnes of waste per year.
From Inverurie to Irvine, a further six incinerators are due to start operating in the next few years with the capacity to burn a further 1,506,000 tonnes of waste a year. There are at least four other incinerators under consideration.
The Prime Minister and the Chancellor order new crackdown on cross-Whitehall waste to drive efficiency, effectiveness, and economy across government.
The drive will be spearheaded by a new Chancellor-chaired “Efficiency and Value for Money Committee” that will cut £5.5 billion worth of waste – with savings used to fund vital public services.
As part of the crackdown, the annual NHS efficiency target will be doubled to 2.2% and “quangos” will be expected to find at least £800m which will be pumped back into public services.
A CROSS-WHITEHALL efficiency crackdown to cut £5.5 billion of wasteful spending was announced by the Chancellor today (Sunday 20 March).
At the request of the Prime Minister, the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak will spearhead a new drive on efficiency, effectiveness and economy in government spending to ensure departments are delivering the highest quality services at the best value.
The crackdown will be driven by a new Chancellor-chaired Efficiency and Value for Money Committee that will ensure the 5% efficiency target set at the 2021 Spending Review is met across Whitehall and scrutinise strategies to prevent fraud and error. The move will save a total of £5.5 billion with the money being pumped directly back into vital public services.
As part of the renewed drive, the Chancellor said the NHS efficiency commitment will double to 2.2% a year – freeing up £4.75 billion to fund NHS priority areas over the next three years
These savings will be made through a range of programmes including the digitisation of diagnostic and front-line services, which has been shown to reduce cost per admission by up to 13%, improving the efficiency of surgical hubs and developing digital tools to cut time spend by NHS staff on admin tasks.
Surgical hubs improve efficiency by separating emergency and elective care, so more patients can be seen in a given amount of time, improving value for money without impacting patient safety.
This increased efficiency target will ensure that the record funding settlement of £188.9 billion a year by 2024-25 for the Department for Health and Social Care is delivering the best possible value for money for the taxpayer, the money saved will be used to fund front line NHS priorities.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak said: “During these challenging times it’s vital that every single penny of taxpayers hard-earned cash is being spent well.
“The current level of waste across government is simply not acceptable – which is why we’re doubling down on wasteful spending and launching an efficiency drive to make £5.5 billion worth of savings.
“That money will then be pumped directly into the world class public services that the British people deserve “
The crackdown will also see a review of Government Arm’s Length Bodies or “Quangos” who will be expected to save at least £800m from their budgets.
The Arm’s Length Body Review will see savings come from better use of property, reduced reliance on consultants, increased digitisation and greater use of shared services, as well as the use of benchmarking to drive efficiencies.
The Treasury will also launch a new Innovation Challenge to crowdsource ideas from civil servants on how government can reduce waste and improve public services, with winners selected this Summer and best ideas becoming Government policy
This new Committee comes ahead of the Chancellor’s Spring Statement on Wednesday (23rd March) where the Chancellor will update Parliament on his plan for the economy in response to the OBR’s latest economic forecasts.
Do you hate going to work on a Monday? Spare a thought for refuse collectors who dread Monday mornings as their rounds bring them in direct contact with Britain’s surging rat population.
That’s because they’re coming up against overfilled commercial and domestic bins that rats have had a chance to ransack for food, says a national waste and recycling company.
And with the British rat population increasing by 25% over the Covid pandemic, there’s some truth in the old urban myth that you’re never more than six feet away from a rat, says waste collection company BusinessWaste.co.uk
BusinessWaste.co.uk spokesperson Mark Hall said: “Our operators come up against rats on a daily basis,” “but Mondays are especially bad and our teams are genuinely worried about getting bitten.”
What’s the problem?
Binmen (and women) have struggled with vermin since time immemorial, but the Covid pandemic and milder winters have allowed an explosion in the rat population.
Estimates put the number of rats in the UK at around 150 million, and they’re attracted to wherever humans leave them a steady supply of food. And that means bins.
And, according to refuse collectors, the worst day of the week is always a Monday, because the hungry rodents have had the chance to settle down relatively undisturbed over the weekend in overfilled bins.
“When we go to empty a bin on a Monday, there’s a stream of rats running to safety,” Mark Taylor 44 refuse collector from Addingham told us.
“It’s really bad if it’s a food store or a restaurant, and they haven’t secured the lid. We’re clubbing the bins with a big stick, then giving them a couple of minutes to run away. It’s terrifying.”
We’ve seen videos of rats fleeing commercial bins as if it’s a sinking ship, and it’s not a pleasant experience for anybody involved.
There’s also the chance of a bin man getting bitten.
“Once disturbed, the vermin are in a state of panic and run in all directions,” says Waste collection company Divert.co.uk’s Operations Director Adam Bailey, “Our teams now go into action with trousers tucked into boots and sleeve cuffs done up tight. But that’s still no guarantee.”
Another veteran operator tells BusinessWaste.co.uk that the problem is worse than ever. “We’re seeing more rats and other vermin than ever before, hundreds of them. And they’re bolder, too.”
Ratty Monday to Fear-filled Furry Fridays – there’s no escape for Britain’s bin men.
Is there a solution?
While it may be difficult to put an end to Ratty Mondays and Terrifying Tuesdays (if Ratty Monday is a Bank Holiday*), Business Waste’s Mark Hall says that there are plenty of things that people can do to deter vermin.
“The number one thing owners can do is secure the lids on their bins,” he says, “And the number two thing is not to overfill them”.
Bin operators approach open and overflowing bins with a sense of dread, knowing that it’s inevitable that there’ll be a fury explosion of angry and frightened rats the moment they move the bin.
For most domestic bins, it’s not really a problem. But for commercial bin owners, the sheer volume of food waste means that bin management is essential to deter vermin.
“That means people who run restaurants, food shops, pubs – anywhere that produces tasty, tasty food waste – needs to lock down their bins every time they use them,” says Hall.
It’s a basic safety measure for which there should be no exceptions, and something local authorities should clamp down on with local byelaws, he says.
“They say that if you’re in a big city, you’re never more than six feet away from a rat,” says Mark Hall of BusinessWaste.co.uk
“While that’s been an urban myth for years, it’s coming more and more of a reality, and it’s a problem of our own making.”
*Other days of the week are available, but they’re ratty too!
Research from the Marine Conservation Society found an average of 262 plastic and polystyrene pieces for every 100m of Portobello beach
St Andrew’s Takeaway is currently using an estimated 10,800 disposable food containers a month. Over a year, this would have the same carbon cost as a return flight from Edinburgh to New York
If five percent of their customers switched to reusable food containers, it would save 100kg of carbon dioxide equivalent a year
Zero Waste Scotland has launched the first wave of its Ditching Disposables pilot, which will help a number of Scottish businesses to reduce and eliminate their reliance on single-use items.
The drive coincides with the recent announcement from the Scottish Government that they will ban a wide range of single-use plastics items from June 2022.
The new regulations include restrictions on plastic cutlery, drink stirrers, and food containers made from expanded polystyrene – items predominately found in cafes and hospitality businesses.
The legislation covers these plastic items made from both fossil-based and plant-based plastics regardless of whether they are recyclable, biodegradable or compostable. It also covers plastic items which contain recycled content.
In line with recommendations of the Expert Panel on Environmental Charges and Other Measures, the Ditching Disposables project will support organisations across Scotland to trial and implement sustainable alternatives to problematic single-use items. A common mistake, which businesses must avoid where possible, is to replace one disposable option with another one made from a different material.
This is why Zero Waste Scotland is embarking on a collaborative campaign to guide businesses on alternative and environmentally friendly solutions, such as swapping single-use plastic stirrers with reusablemetal spoons rather than wooden ones, which also end up in the bin after one use.
The Ditching Disposables pilot is also a pivotal step towards the creation of a first-of-its-kind roadmap – a guide that will equip businesses across the world with the necessary tools and knowledge, using data collated from successful interventions found through the initiative.
Iain Gulland, Chief Executive at Zero Waste Scotland, said:“We’ve all seen those pictures and videos of horrendous litter pollution strewn across land and sea. Waste, predominately made up of single-use items, is persistently causing harm to the environment in Scotland as well as the rest of the world.
“Right now, we live in a throwaway society, and we urgently need to move away from disposables completely. Our Ditching Disposables pilot is a huge step towards this goal.
“We’re working directly with business owners and their customers, at the ground level, to give them the right tools to find alternatives to disposables. We’re confident this pilot will help them to feel like they’re doing their vital part in reducing the amount of waste we produce.
“At COP26, Scotland proved it’s a world-leader when it comes to sustainability, and this pioneering project will further cement this status and form part of its legacy.”
Welcoming the pilot project, Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “There is no longer any doubt that plastic waste is having a hugely damaging impact on our oceans, environment and climate.
“The Scottish Government supports a move away from the old-fashioned and environmentally destructive consumption model of take, make and consume.
“Lessons from this trial will be crucial in our efforts to reduce our reliance on single-use plastic and in our journey towards a circular economy that promotes re-use, repair and recycling.”
Take-out fish and chips for a stroll in the beach often come in wax-coated paper boxes, which have a carbon impact and cannot be easily recycled.
However, many food outlets use them. St Andrew’s Takeaway is currently trialling innovative alternatives but, in the meantime, uses an estimated 10,800 disposable food containers a month.
Over a year, this would have the same carbon cost as a return flight from Edinburgh to New York. If five percent of their customers switched to reusable food containers, it would save 100kg of carbon dioxide equivalent a year.
Businesses in Portobello and Joppa already signed up to take part in the Ditching Disposables pilot include Malvarosa, Go Go Beets, Oscar’s Gelato, The Boathouse, St Andrews Restaurant & Takeaway and ShrimpWreck.
They’ll trial a series of initiatives including a deposit scheme for reusable containers, a charge for single-use items and edible spoons for ice cream.
Alvaro Bernabeu, Owner of Malvarosa restaurant, said:“I don’t see sustainability as a trend but the way forward. As a small business, we’re doing what we can and want to play a part in changing attitudes.
“The recent ban on problematic single-use items by the Scottish Government is a very welcome step, but there isn’t enough guidance available to businesses on what is the most environmentally friendly alternative. I see this pilot as a really worthwhile exercise and I’m sure it’ll be very welcome by my customers.”
The Ditching Disposables initiative will be supported by a regionalised social media campaign, featuring striking imagery of plastic waste on Portobello Beach, and using the hashtag #DitchingDisposables.
The campaign originally made headlines when announced in early 2020 with support from the Scottish Government – being hailed as an important step towards banishing polluting single-use items for good. However, it had to be paused due to businesses closing in line with lockdown restrictions.
Catherine Gemmell, Scotland Conservation Officer for the Marine Conservation Society, said:“The Ditching Disposables campaign is a fantastic opportunity to give Scotland a glimpse into what having a circular economy would look like and the massive benefits across society it would bring.
“By moving to reuse, repair and refill our volunteers would start to see less plastic on our beaches which would save wildlife, keep Scotland stunning and reduce our carbon footprint.”
CEC is also asking people to fold up their cardboard neatly before putting it in the correct recycling bin to make sure they leave enough room for all the extra recycling likely to be generated over the festive season.
If there is no room left, we’d encourage you to make an appointment at your nearest recycling centre and take any extra waste there. If that is not possible, fold it up neatly and place it next to your bin on your collection day.
If you have a large amount of any waste generated please don’t place it next to your bins but book an appointment at your local household waste recycling centre.
The council is also letting residents know there are no changes to waste and recycling collections as Christmas and New Year are on a Saturday this year so they should put their recycling and waste bins out on their usual collection days.
Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Environment Convener, said:“It’s really important that we all do our bit to help the environment and the festive season is a perfect opportunity to get creative and reduce waste by making delicious dishes out of leftovers, making gifts for our loved ones and reusing cards and wrapping paper as festive decorations for future years.
“Many more people are still shopping online due to the current health pandemic which means a lot of cardboard is being used. When clearing up this Christmas, please remember to fold cardboard up neatly and recycle it responsibly and I think it is also important to point out that when shopping remember that while foil and metallic wrapping paper and cards may add sparkle to your Christmas, they can’t be recycled.”
Councillor Karen Doran, Environment Vice-Convener, said:“As well us reusing, buying responsibility and locally where you can, when waste is generated, please help us push up our recycling rates by making sure you clean your plastics before they are recycled to stop contamination and put everything in the correct bin.
“Any food you haven’t turned into lovely leftovers, if you put it in your food waste bin, we turn into energy and fertiliser. Recycling one kitchen caddy of food waste can create enough energy to power a TV for five hours.
“Other fun facts we’re sharing to encourage people to recycle are six clean mince pie foil cases saves enough energy to watch up to an hour of TV and one glass bottle saves enough energy to make 14 slices of toast.
“When the fun is over and you’re taking down your tree, if you are recycling it, check which day we’re collecting trees in your street on our website, remove its base, decorations and cut it in half if it’s over 6ft before popping it neatly on the kerbside on its collection day.”
The Face It: Reuse Beats Single-Use campaign returns as evidence from Keep Scotland Beautiful discovered two face masks are found littered per one kilometre across Scotland, and new data from the Marine Conservation Society’s Great British Beach Clean found Covid-related litter on a third (33 percent) of surveyed Scottish beaches.
Now, with the festive season fast approaching – when more people are expected to be out-and-about seeing friends and loved ones, eating out, or going to events where face coverings will be required – the environmental bodies have joined forces again to urge people to ‘choose to reuse’, wherever possible, to mitigate waste and protect our beautiful landscapes.
Wearing a face covering or mask helps to reduce the spread of Covid-19 and reusable face coverings are the most environmentally friendly option. They help us protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our planet, by reducing the amount of single-use plastic waste being created.
But, currently, over a third (37 percent) of Scots use a disposable face covering which cannot be recycled – these should always be placed in the general waste bin after use.
Iain Gulland, Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has meant that we are now getting used to living a slightly different way of life. One of these changes is the continued use of protective gear, specifically face coverings.
“It’s easy to carry a reusable face covering and using them regularly will save you money in the long run. One small act can help protect Scotland’s pristine landscapes.
“The littering of single-use face coverings represents our throwaway society fuelled by our current mode of consumption. By shopping smarter, reusing more, and wasting less, we can help protect the environment. Be safe and sustainable when you’re out and about this Christmas by investing in a good quality, reusable face covering and making them part of your daily routine. That way you’ll be protecting yourself, your community, and the planet.”
Catherine Gemmell, Scotland Conservation Officer at the Marine Conservation Society, said: “Almost all the litter our volunteers find on beach cleans demonstrates the damaging throwaway culture we’re currently living in.
“The increase in COVID-related litter on Scottish beaches is of real concern for the environment, and wildlife. We can all play our part in stopping this sort of litter reaching the beach in the first place. If you can choose to use reusables, please do so, and if you use single-use please dispose of it responsibly.
“Next year, we’d like to see this type of litter declining instead of rising. Our ocean was struggling as it was, we can’t afford to make the situation worse.”
Barry Fisher, CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “Our surveys across Scotland have recorded more than two facemasks per one kilometre which is completely unacceptable. This Covid litter highlights our complete disregard for each other and our communities.
“ It is vital that people bin their litter and wear a reusable face mask when possible. By choosing to reuse, you are reducing your consumption, decreasing the chance of contributing to our looming litter emergency and you are helping to tackle climate change – it is a triple win for our environment.”
Reusable face coverings should be washed on the highest setting suitable for the fabric, preferably 60 degrees centigrade, after every use.
Shop-bought and homemade reusable face coverings, as well as other items (such as snoods), can all be effectively used to slow the spread of the virus. These should be at least two (preferably three) layers thick and tight to the face.
Reducing the demand for single-use face coverings is one way to tackle the problem of consumption, after it was found that around four-fifths (80 percent) of Scotland’s footprint comes from the products and materials we manufacture, use and throw away.
Zero Waste Scotland is encouraging Scots to reduce their consumption where possible. In a circular economy, existing materials are kept in use for as long as possible, and nothing is wasted.
A new campaign encouraging residents to have a less wasteful Christmas and help reduce their impact on the environment has been launched today.
Following on from the city-wide Net Zero Challenge, which encourages people learn about the cost to the climate of everyday actions by measuring their carbon footprint, the new multi-media campaign aims to build upon the momentum gathered by the COP26 conference.
Edinburgh residents are being urged to buy more responsibly and to avoid waste where possible, by choosing local suppliers and products, asking for pre-loved or home-made gifts and cutting down on food waste.
Residents will also be encouraged to use the Edinburgh Reuse Map, developed in partnership with Changeworks, to discover where items can be sourced second-hand or for free, fixed, donated or even upcycled.
As well as content promoted through billboards, bus shelters, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and radio, additional practical information and support on wasting less over the festive season, including details on recycling and Christmas tree uplifts, and plastic-free shops across the city is also available to residents at http://www.Edinburgh.gov.uk/GreenChristmas
Council Leader, Councillor Adam Mcvey said:“The Green Christmas campaign aims to build on the momentum and interest in the climate crisis from COP26 coming to Scotland, to encourage even more people across the city to take climate action and help deliver a cleaner, greener capital.
“The vast majority of people in Edinburgh agree that we need to cut down on waste over Christmas.
“And from choosing gifts with recyclable or minimal packaging, avoiding items that can’t be recycled – such as glittery cards or shiny wrapping paper, to supporting local shops and choosing local food to cut down on air miles – there’s lots of ways we can all be greener in the run up to holidays to be more sustainable and look after our beautiful city and precious planet.”
Depute leader, Cammy Day said:“Although going totally waste free this Christmas may be a tall order, there’s still lots we can all do to cut down.
“Small changes do add up and, as well as being good for the environment, can often save you time and money too. For example, planning your meals ahead of time so you only buy the food you need can help you save up to £437 a year, and helps us tread more lightly.”
Buy more responsibly this Christmas by asking yourself these 5 questions:
#1 How sustainable is this? What’s it made of? What’s the energy efficiency rating?
#2 Can I find this second hand? You may find the same for much less
#3 How long will it be loved for? Choose things which will last
#4 Who made it? Can the brand you’re buying from guarantee that everyone in the supply chain was paid fairly and had safe working conditions?
#5 Do I really need it? Check what you already have
The number of brussels sprouts wasted over Christmas in the UK could power a home for 3 years. Turn any leftovers into tasty meals www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
Funding to deliver key recommendation of Scotland’s Climate Assembly
The Scottish Government is to help fund a new national network of community sharing libraries and repair cafes as part of a drive to reduce consumption and cut waste.
Under the £310,000 reuse and repair scheme, funded jointly with Zero Waste Scotland, more resource libraries will be established across Scotland – a key recommendation of Scotland’s Climate Assembly.
The facilities allow people to borrow items such as high quality tools, equipment, clothes and toys rather than buying them.
The scheme – overseen by the Circular Communities Scotland charity in collaboration with Edinburgh Tool Library and Edinburgh Remakery – will also see more repair cafes set up to teach people the skills to repair items.
A report by Social Investment Scotland on behalf of Zero Waste Scotland in 2020 identified 24 repair cafes and sharing library projects in Scotland and the intention is to increase this to 100 in the next three years.
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero Michael Matheson said: “Scotland’s Climate Assembly called for action and I’m very pleased that we will support a network of resource libraries and repair cafes.
“Sharing libraries provide a direct reduction in consumption, waste and emissions because they allow people to switch from purchasing and owning items to borrowing them instead. Repair cafes give people the skills to re-use their own items.
“This network also supports our drive to tackle poverty by giving lower income groups access to tools or equipment not otherwise available and the skills to use them.”
Chief Executive Officer of Zero Waste Scotland Iain Gulland, said: “Scotland – and the world – urgently needs to address its consumption problem. The current demand on the planet’s finite, precious materials is unsustainable.
“The circular economy is one of the best tools we have in our arsenal. We can reduce our consumption by keeping existing materials in circulation and only buying new when absolutely necessary.
“Sharing libraries and repair cafes are not only great ways of implementing a more circular way of living, but an opportunity to get to know people and businesses doing amazing work in your community. We hope to see as many of these local initiatives come to fruition as soon as possible.”
Michael Cook, CEO, Circular Communities Scotland said: “For Scotland to combat climate change, we each need to change our own consumption behaviours. Sharing libraries and repair cafés provide simple and effective solutions to do this whilst reducing our carbon footprint.
“Rather than throwing an old item away we can repair it at a repair cafe, or even better, be taught the repair skills to fix it ourselves. Similarly, rather than buy a new product we can borrow one from a local sharing library. We are delighted to receive this funding to form the new network and significantly grow the number of these projects in Scotland.”
