The Innovation Fund was launched in London today by environment minister Elliot Morley, who described it as a “major step” towards reducing the 30 million tonnes of household waste generated each year in the UK.
 Environment minister Elliot Morley and WRAP CEO Jennie Price at the launch of the Innovation Fund this morning |
The Waste and Resources Action Programme is behind the fund, and is now inviting proposals from projects that offer “direct and significant reductions in the amount of household food and packaging waste originating from the retail sector”.
There are three tenders for projects to apply for, with WRAP expecting to announce the first successful projectsin January 2005.
Research from WRAP suggested that 40% of household waste that ultimately ends up in landfill originates from retail supermarkets and convenience stores. The government-funded organisation has set its Innovation Fund the target of reducing this waste by 310,000 tonnes by March 2006.
WRAP chief executive Jennie Price said: “Many consumers are becoming more aware of how much rubbish they are generating. They are recycling more and more, but there is relatively little they can do to control how the goods they buy are presented and packaged.
“Supermarkets and their supply chains have a major influence on what ends up in the household dustbin.”
Costs
By improving their packaging, the Innovation fund projects will also help retailers to reduce their production, storage and transportation costs, WRAP said.
The fund is being supported by the British Retail Consortium, with director general Kevin Hawkins saying it would create the opportunity to make “major advances” in the environmental performance of the retail sector. It has also been welcomed by INCPEN, the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment.
Guidance seminars on the application and evaluation process for the Innovation Fund are to be held in Leeds on November 3, London on November 4, Edinburgh on November 9 and Cardiff November 10.
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