Cash help on offer to ditch packaging
Businesses on Arran are running out of time to take advantage of £600,000 in grants to help eradicate wasteful packaging which is responsible for a large percentage of household waste on the island.
The funding, provided by the Scottish Government and the European Regional Development Fund, is being administered by Zero Waste Scotland to help shops on Scottish islands move away from single-use plastic to reusable options.
Finance from the Islands Green Recovery Plan Refillery Fund will be provided for dispensing and other equipment that enables customers to obtain grocery products in reusable containers brought from home. This includes dispensers for dry goods such as cereals, pulses, grains, herbs, spices, pasta and rice, liquid items such as milk, fruit juices, oils and vinegars and other products such as laundry detergents, washing up liquids, fabric softeners and liquid soaps.
Some shops on other Scottish islands have already started using package free dispensers and the new scheme will see cash being made available to small and medium sized enterprises on Arran to encourage them to make the transition.
Double burden
Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said: ‘Island communities have to bear the double burden of dealing with imported single-use items then the shipping-off of waste.
‘This scheme gives shops on the islands the chance to be ahead of the game and at the forefront of a positive change. The financial help we are making available will enable outlets to make this significant positive step.
‘There is an understanding among communities about the damage done by single-use packaging as they see the effects in the countryside, beaches and seas around them.
‘As well as reducing waste, by opting for reuse we also reduce our carbon footprint by eliminating the need to extract, transport and manufacture materials to make new products.’
The scheme is part of a larger £2million programme designed to inspire locally-led green projects as part of the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Islands minister Paul Wheelhouse said: ‘The Islands Green Recovery Programme will stimulate new economic activity across our islands, helping to create a sustainable green economy.
‘We are aware that mitigating the effects of climate change can be more expensive for those living on our islands, which is why we are delighted to announce this funding.
‘This investment with Zero Waste Scotland is available to small and medium enterprises who wish to offer customers a packaging-free shopping experience, where they are encouraged to use their own re-useable containers to purchase a range of foods and household groceries.’
Applications for funding are open until 5pm on Monday November 16 by emailing IGRP@zerowastescotland.org.uk or online at www. zerowastescotland.org.uk/ funding/single-use-packaging-targeted-islands-green-recovery-programme