Trials to boost SME recycling

Recycling champions Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) says the aim of the trials is to develop “convenient and cost effective” recycling services to make it easier Small and Medium Sized Enterprises to recycle.

The move by the government funded not-for-profit company comes after the success of initial small scale trials to encourage waste recycling.

Liz Morrish, SME recycling programme manager for WRAP, said: “We have learned a lot of valuable lessons during the first phase of feasibility trials in terms of what support SMEs need to be able to recycle more effectively.

“This demonstration trial phase of the programme enables us to work with our partners on a much larger scale so that we can develop robust good practice guidelines and models that will enable better targeting of SMEs.”

It is hoped the results of the six-month trials will reveal effective ways of getting SMEs onto recycling programmes on a wider scale.

The trials will include multi-material collections – paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, metal and aluminium cans, plastic drinking cups, computer equipment, printer and toner cartridges, glass container collections for the hospitality industry and city centre cardboard and paper collections.

Sixteen waste and recycling organisations across England, Wales and Scotland are taking part in the trials, including private companies and local authorities.

They will look into the best methods of collecting a variety of recyclable materials from a range of different businesses.

David Gibbs