Environmentally-focused communities across Scotland are being urged to apply for the title of Scotland’s third Zero Waste Town, by demonstrating how their efforts could contribute towards a more circular economy.
Zero Waste Scotland is asking communities to put forward their case as to how their residents and businesses could work together to reduce their overall waste, increase recycling, and use resources more efficiently.
Applicants will be expected to provide details of innovative approaches they would take to help their communities to achieve ambitious Scottish Government national targets, including a 70% household recycling rate and a 33% reduction in wasted food by 2025. Measures to increase re-use, repair and resource efficiency should also form part of the bids.
The town that’s chosen will receive funding to help it implement its ideas. Predominantly urban areas are being urged to come forward this time round, in order to focus on a different type of community from the ones currently funded as Zero Waste Towns in Dunbar and Bute. The communities that come forward can be actual towns or parts of larger areas. The proposed projects of the selected area will be led by organisations with a track record bringing partners together to deliver change.
Iain Gulland, Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said:
“This is a really exciting project for Scotland as it looks to increase momentum with innovative new ideas to deliver a zero waste society.
“Ultimately, we are looking for new ideas and approaches on reducing waste and making better use of the things which we no longer need which will help us identify models that could be replicated in communities throughout Scotland.”
The selected community will join Dunbar and the Isle of Bute as Scotland’s two established Zero Waste Towns. They join a growing network of Zero Waste municipalities throughout Europe and across the world, including towns in Holland, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Slovenia and Romania.
Zero Waste Dunbar has already completed two years of a three-year funded project, and is delivering a wide range of local initiatives to increase recycling in schools and households, support for businesses to become more resource efficient as well as plans for a local community re-use shop in the town centre.
Zero Waste Bute has been working to increase the amount of materials that householders can recycle, piloting food waste collections, engaging with schools and supporting local businesses to be more resource efficient.
For more information, or to submit an expression of interest in becoming Scotland’s third Zero Waste Town, visit: www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/content/zero-waste-town-call-applications.
