£4m to go to waste

Those involved in waste reduction and disposal, from academia to landfill operation, are being invited to apply for a slice of the £4 million up for grabs for research in the field.


Defra is calling for proposals to be considered under its Waste and Resources Research Programme.

The programme seeks to encourage innovative ways to reduce and manage waste and has approximately £4 million available to fund scientific research that could provide information to base future sustainable waste policy upon.

This is a second call for proposals and there are already more than 30 Defra-sponsored research projects underway.

The department is looking for proposals covering a broad spectrum of waste issues, including managing biowaste, recycling, how to deal with residual waste in landfill, improving landfill conditions and identifying market opportunities from waste.

The deadline for expression of interests is 12 January 2006, with an

anticipated deadline for full proposals by 2 May 2006.

In assessing proposals Defra will be looking out for originality of

approach.

A spokesman for Defra said: “The department would be particularly keen to see partnership working between different sectors in the waste community – for example between practitioners, universities and other research organisations.”

A competition pack is available from the Defra website here and further information on the Waste Research Programme is available here.

By Sam Bond

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