WRAP trials bring banks to encourage SME recycling

Date: 29/3/2010

WRAP trials bring banks to encourage SME recycling

Tiffany Holland
29 Mar 2010

A bring bank scheme to encourage small- and medium- sized businesses to recycle their waste is being piloted by the Waste & Resources Action Programme.

Funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as part of its Commercial and Industrial Waste programme, two projects will trial the bring bank system for six months.

A WRAP spokesperson commented: “We hope that these schemes will overcome some of the barriers encountered previously by SMEs and make it easier for small businesses to recycle their waste.”

The first project will operate at two business parks on the edge of Bristol. Steel storage containers to collect recyclable materials such as glass, cardboard, paper, cans and plastic bottles will be located on the sites. Free waste reviews and free glass collections will be on offer to nearby businesses in a bid to attract them to the scheme.

The second project in Merseyside will use a system similar to those at household waste and recycling centres across the UK. Businesses will have to sign up online to use the members-only trade recycling centre. Paper, cardboard, rigid and flexible plastics, and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) will be collected.

If successful after a six-month review, WRAP hopes to encourage a roll-out of these service models more widely.