Soil association launches recycling scheme (From Gazette & Herald)

Soil association launches recycling scheme

A NEW Soil Association initiative is aimed at helping organic farmers and businesses reduce and recycle waste in a sustainable manner

A dedicated waste minimisation officer, Lucy Rees, has been employed to tackle waste throughout the organic supply chain.

The role will involve helping organic farms and businesses develop waste minimisation techniques, as well as looking at ways that wastes can be turned into valuable resources for use on farms.

The initiative will focus on four main areas:

Minimising plastic use on farms and promoting options for plastic recycling;

Increasing the availability of high-quality organic composts.;

Setting up local waste minimisation networks - assisting farms and businesses to minimise waste by sharing information and equipment;

Investigating ways that other farm waste materials, like oil and metal, can be utilised or safely disposed of.

Lucy said: "This is a really exciting project, which should make a real difference to waste management by organic farms and businesses. We will be running a range of events in 2004.

"All organic farms and businesses, with waste-related enquiries, are encouraged to contact me."

The two-year project is sponsored by the RMC Environment Fund, which has been established under the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme and is managed by the Environment Council.

For further information, contact Lucy Rees on (0117) 314 5185, or e-mail her at lrees@soilassociation.org.

Updated: 11:25 Wednesday, January 07, 2004