Cessation of the Funding Support Scheme to Provide Recycling Services to Businesses
The SME Recycling Programme was set up in 2004 to investigate a range of factors to improve and increase recycling of SMEs. The programme has been delivered through a range of feasibility and demonstration trials to develop appropriate recycling services, charging mechanisms, sales and marketing approaches and advice on staff involvement in recycling. The overall aim was to make recycling at work easy, convenient and cost effective.
The trials were successful and have resulted in a number of new and expanded recycling services across England and Scotland and the results have been used to develop Good Practice Guidance on providing recycling services to SMEs.
With a view to pump priming the development and expansion of further recycling services to SMEs building on our good practice, we launched the funding support scheme to provide recycling services to businesses in October 2007. This funding scheme was planned as a rolling programme into the next financial year and to date we have received over 40 applications.
Unfortunately WRAP has now received notification from Defra that funding for next year is being significantly reduced - a 30% cut on this years funding. In view of this we have taken the decision not to continue with the SME Recycling Programme and the funding support scheme. This will impact on applications received this year as they were reliant on funding being available into the next financial year. We will therefore not be awarding any funds through this scheme.
We believe that there are other drivers which are starting to impact on recycling services to SME business. For instance the Lanfill Tax is increasing £8/tonne and the pre-treatment requirements can be met most easily by separating out materials for recycling.
WRAP has taken the decision to focus its support and funding on continuing to create the pull through for good quality recyclables. This will primarily be through our work to support the UK recycling and reprocessing industry. Further information on our new Business Plan will be available in due course.
