The Defra-funded BREW Centre for Local Authorities has this week (August 19) started looking for eight more councils interested in setting up 'Zero Waste Places' to showcase best practice in waste management.

Brent resident Lorraine Skinner (centre), who initiated the Green Zones initiative in the London borough

Local authorities have been given until October 1 2009 to apply for up to £10,000 of 'Towards Zero Waste' funding each to establish one of the demonstrator initiatives, with particular encouragement for councils looking to work in partnership with the private and third sectors, and also with a focus on waste prevention.

Setting up the 'Zero Waste Places' initiative was a commitment within the Waste Strategy for England 2007, and the first six projects selected for funding - which were announced by then-waste and recycling minister Jane Kennedy in October 2008 - ranged from a single street to the whole West Midlands region (see letsrecycle.com story).

The BREW Centre, which is hosted by Oxfordshire county council and is funded by Defra via WRAP, is running the 'Zero Waste Places' initiative on behalf of the department.

Commenting on the new search for applications, the centre's national co-ordinator and project manager for Zero Waste Places, Helen Bird, said: "We are delighted to be offering the opportunity that the Towards Zero Waste funding brings to areas.

"Last year, this initiative brought significant benefits to the places involved - not just relating to waste but many aspects including street scene improvements, community cohesion and using the initiative as a platform to up-skill volunteers to help them into employment," she added.

Brent

One of the six schemes selected for funding last year was the London borough of Brent's 'Green Zones' initiative, which aimed to set up 20 zones where at least 65% of houses must recycle at least five materials, with houses also expected to meet other environmental criteria such as using sustainable transport.

Graeme Maughan, StreetCare service development manager at the council, praised the impact that the 'Zero Waste Place' funding had had.

"The BREW Centre's Zero Waste Places funding was invaluable to Brent's Green Zones scheme. The funding and recognition allowed us to unlock huge potential in our small community project," he said.

"We have now been highly commended in several national awards and received a permanent budget. It had also allowed us to establish a relationship and reputation with Defra and the CIWM as innovators in the Zero Waste policy field," he added.