About

Cornwall Waste Action is working with Penwith and Kerrier District Councils and local businesses to help them recycle and save money on their waste collections. WRAP, (the Waste Resources and Action Programme, a government funded body), has awarded funding to undertake this work between April and November 2007.

Cornwall Waste Action canvassers will be visiting a number of homes and businesses in Redruth, Praze, Penzance and Sennen, and giving tips on how to reduce, re-use and recycle waste. We will also be asking householders and commercial companies about their recycling habits, and whether there are any barriers to recycling. Please use the links below to find more information about recycling in your area.

We are offering all businesses a free wheelie bin and regular low cost waste collections. Please contact us for a free quote and to arrange delivery of your bin.

The community waste sector includes local community groups, charities and social firms, who contribute to the development of sustainable resource use and provide employment and volunteering opportunities to a wide range of people, through projects and services for communities that support reduction, re-use, recycling and composting.

The sector is able to assist local authorities in meeting their household waste recycling and composting targets, whilst providing additional local community benefits. The social benefits include work and training opportunities, affordable goods and services and the re-introduction of community spirit. Environmentally, sustainable resource management can help reduce pollution and C02 emissions, being part of the solution to the crisis of climate change.

There is currently in Cornwall a variety of existing projects, including Computers for Charity in Bude, that re-uses unwanted ICT equipment, The Liskeard Litter Ladies promoting alternatives to plastic carrier bags, The SOFA project in Pool and GOFA in Penzance re-using old furniture, composting and timber re-use at Falmouth Green Centre as well as charcoal making by the Sustainable Trust near Helston.

The sector enables community development and social cohesion, through the provision of volunteering and training opportunities, supported employment schemes and job creation.

Economic benefits include: jobs, services and facilities; attracting significant external grant funding; keeping more value, money and resources within local communities; reducing the need for people to buy new items through supplying low cost reused and refurbished items; and pioneering innovative methods and solutions.

Environmental benefits include: reducing waste; conserving resources and energy through maximising recycling and reuse; recycling of marginal or low value materials; raising awareness; and helping ‘close the loop’ – for example, producing food in compost made from garden waste.

In sustainability terms the benefits include: promoting sustainable communities and more sustainable ways of living; providing local infrastructure, facilities and solutions; and helping Local Authorities achieve their wider strategic objectives.

About Waste Action