The funding is being offered through the latest phase of the WEEE Fund, aimed at increasing collections of WEEE in order to meet collection targets – which have been missed in consecutive years.
Money is collected largely through the payment of a ‘compliance fee’ by producer compliance schemes that have been unable to meet their WEEE targets. In excess of £10 million has been collected through the fee since it was first used in 2016.
The small electrical waste kerbside collection investment fund is open to any UK waste collection authority to roll-out and or expand kerbside collection. Up to £3 million has been allocated from 2020 through to 2022.
Applications for funding opened last week (August 15) with a closing date of 25 October 2019. Further funding rounds are envisaged, subject to availability of funds, the WEEE Fund organisation said.
Grants will be supported by a national communications campaign, expected to launch in 2020, which will also provide local authorities with communication tools and materials available for local adaptation.
Reuse
An additional £0.5 million in funding is also being offered to organisations involved in the repair and reuse of old electrical items to support their work. The funding is intended to support household, kerbside or school and office collections.
Scott Butler, WEEE Fund manager, said: “We are working with a range of key partners including Local Authorities, business, and community groups to deliver projects to encourage recycling and re-use of small waste electricals.”
“We are working with a range of key partners including Local Authorities, business, and community groups to deliver projects to encourage recycling and re-use of small waste electricals.”
“Our four-pronged approach to increasing recycling includes: increased collection methods, reuse investment grants, and communications and behaviour change. Our new kerbside and re-use collection investment funds will open-up more and easier ways for people to recycle their small electrical household waste.
“These, together with communications and behaviour change projects, will deliver the buy-in and engagement that is essential for ongoing success.”
Funding
Projects to have been funded so far through the fee mechanism include research into the sources and destinations of WEEE arising in the UK – which is expected to be completed this year – and research looking at unreported WEEE flows.
An additional project to classify the volume of potentially ‘hazardous’ material present in commonly collected WEEE items has also been carried out (see letsrecycle.com story).
The WEEE Fee is administered by Joint Trade Associations (Contracts) Ltd.
WEEE Conference
25 September, Lord’s Cricket Ground, London
WEEE Fund manager Scott Butler is among the speakers at the 2019 WEEE Conference, organised by letsrecycle.com – visit www.weeeconference.com for a full list of speakers and topics to be covered.
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