Author: John Lally

Categories

A million get the message to Recycle Right

Home >
It is estimated that a campaign designed to help boost recycling across the Liverpool City Region has been seen over a million times.

Launched in October 2021 and run through into March 2022, Recycle Right adverts reminding people of what they can and should recycle have appeared throughout Liverpool City Region on buses, local radio and newspapers, outdoor telephone kiosks and digital outdoor displays, ASDA supermarkets, and on social media. It is estimated that the adverts have been seen and heard well over a million times*.

The advertising is part of Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority’s Recycle Right campaign which was launched in 2018 to help increase awareness of recycling issues. This includes letting people know what can be recycled where, preventing bagged waste and unwanted materials being put into recycling bins, and highlighting what options people have when it comes to recycling and managing their household waste.

Carl Beer, Chief Executive at Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority (MRWA), said: “Recycle Right was launched to help highlight recycling options that people have and ultimately increase the region’s recycling rate. The campaign and all the messaging is a reminder to everyone about what they can recycle and where they can recycle it.

“A lot of us do the right things most of the time, but with the region’s recycling level at 35% there is more we can all do.”

Councillor Tony Concepcion, Chairperson of MRWA, said: “We want more people to recycle more things more often. Hopefully residents have seen or heard these messages and taken them on board. Of course, we realise that not everyone will have come across an advert, and even if they have it won’t have changed everyone’s behaviour. However, we will continue to push recycling messages because managing materials and resources sustainably is key in the fight against climate change and having a local environment we can all be proud of.”

ENDS

Notes for editors

Image captions:

MRWA_RECYCLERIGHT_FEB 2022A & MRWA_RECYCLERIGHT_FEB 2022B – Recycle Right artwork at Liverpool Central train station, February 2022
MRWA_RECYCLERIGHT_MAY 2022 – Left to right- MRWA Development Manager Rebecca Haynes-McCoy, and MRWA Education and Campaigns Officer Danni Millar

* Campaign 1 (Oct to Nov 2021):
• RADIO ADVERT / DIGITAL INSTREAM: An advert to reach 548,000 people, who are estimated to hear the advert 13 times each either in real time on the radio or when listening online via a streaming service
• DIGITAL STREETHUBS: digital advert with 512,000 Impacts
• BUS REARS: poster advert with 1,175,940 Reach
• BUS INTERIORS: poster advert inside buses, with 889,000 users
• KIOSKS (PHONEBOOTHS): poster adverts, with 2.3 million impacts
• METRO NEWSPAPER: 3 newspaper adverts/advertorials, 39,000 readership per issue

Campaign 2 (Jan to Feb 2022):

• DIGITAL RADIO: 450,000 advert plays over geographically-local digital radio

Campaign 3 (Feb to March 2022):

• DIGITAL ROADSIDE ADVERTS / TRAIN STATION DIGITAL ADVERTS / ASDA DIGITAL SCREENS: 1,770,000 Impacts (no. of times advert seen)
All figures were accurate at the time of the campaign.

Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority is responsible for the disposal of municipal waste on Merseyside. Established in 1986 following the abolition of Merseyside County Council, it is a statutory Authority that works with all the local authorities on Merseyside – Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral. MRWA takes a lead in advocating recycling, waste minimisation and safe and effective disposal of waste for Merseyside residents.

Members of the media for more information please contact:

John Lally | Communications and Development Officer | 1 Mann Island, Liverpool, L3 1BP
Office: 0151 255 2568 | Email: john.lally@merseysidewda.gov.uk

Categories

Liverpool community project on a mission to reduce rubbish

Home >

A Liverpool charity has spent the last year on a mission to stop clothes and textiles from being wasted – with the help of local youngsters.

The Recycle, Refashion, Recreate project has been developed by the Dovecot and Princess Drive Community Association, which provides breakfast, lunch clubs and other activities for children affected by poverty and deprivation.

The Finch Lane-based Association was awarded a grant of £5,640 by the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority & Veolia Community Fund 2021/22 to help deliver the project which has provided local children and families access to sewing and craft clubs, and re-fashioning classes.

Joanne Kennedy, Community Development & Partnerships Manager at Dovecot and Princess Drive Community Association, said: “We know great strides have been taken in recent years to improve recycling habits but there is still a long way to go. Our project has helped to highlight the importance of recycling and the positive impact this will have on the planet for future generations.”

An estimated 20,000 tonnes* of textiles are discarded from households each year in the Liverpool City Region, a lot of which could still be used. It is this behaviour the project is hoping to change and itself will look to stop several tonnes of clothing material from going to waste.

Joanne Kennedy continued: “Our project has been educational, fun and engaging which we believe will lead to environmental improvements in our local area. The Refashioning element of the project has helped to prevent textile waste and bring back to life items of clothing that would have otherwise ended up going to waste.”

Recycle, Refashion, Recreate will be coming to an end this month, and the Dovecot and Princess Drive Community Association will have:

– ran two sewing classes for ten people each over six weeks,
– put on ‘refashioning’ classes with a fashion tutor for 10 people over eight weeks,
– engaged with 48 nursery-aged children and 270 schoolchildren to increase their knowledge about textiles and recycling, including a crafts session with local author Jude Lennon
– run 30 Family Sessions
– put on an end-of-project Fashion Show for project participants, friends and family.

Local writer Jude Lennon, author of That’s Our Home, a children’s book about the effects of waste on coastlines, held a crafts class at East Prescot Road Nursey School to help teach pupils about reuse and recycling. She said: “We all need to protect and care for our planet and children can help with this from a very early age. Reading books about the environment and looking after it can be a great starting point for children’s understanding of the world around them.

“Taking rubbish home from a picnic or using re-usable lunch boxes are water bottles are really easy ways for children to be involved. Children can also be brilliant advocates themselves. Whereas adults may not listen to other adults about concerns for the environment, they may listen to children and then do something to help. We all need a greener, healthier planet for future generations to enjoy.”

Councillor Tony Concepcion, Chairperson of Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority (MRWA), said: “Data shows that there are high quantities of textiles like clothes placed in recycling and household waste bins across kerbside collections in the Liverpool City Region. However, textiles shouldn’t go into bins. Instead, Recycling Centres, charities, local bring banks all accept clothes and textiles where they will go on to be recycled or reused.

“Projects like Recycle, Refashion, Recreate can help have a real positive influence to see textiles waste reduced.”

Joanne Kennedy continued: “This project isn’t just about waste, but also about the wellbeing of those who take part. We hope it has helped to bring the community together, reduce loneliness and social isolation as well as bridging the intergenerational divide. Participants are learning a life skill in sewing that we will encourage them to share with family members. This will save money, extend the life of garments and prevent clothing going to waste.

“We want to give young people the confidence to express themselves and give them an opportunity to showcase their work – increasing their confidence and boosting their self-esteem.”

ENDS

Note to editors

  • Image captions – Pupils at East Prescot Road Nursery School during a crafts class with local author Jude Lennon, April 2022. (Photographs taken by Alison Dodd Photography.) Permission granted by parents/guardians.
  • *Data from Merseyside Waste Composition Analysis 2015
  • Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority is responsible for the disposal of municipal waste on Merseyside. Established in 1986 following the abolition of Merseyside County Council, it is a statutory Authority that works with all the local authorities on Merseyside – Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral. MRWA takes a lead in advocating recycling, waste minimisation and safe and effective disposal of waste for Merseyside residents.
  • The MRWA and Veolia Community Fund 2021/22 has seen 17 community groups from Merseyside and Halton receive a funding boost to help make the region a cleaner and greener place. The financial support will see the groups help reduce household waste, encourage recycling and resource re-use, and prevent carbon emissions. Funding total is £164,999.38
Categories

Meet the hero schoolkids helping to fight food waste

Home >

A social enterprise has been working with schoolchildren across Liverpool to help in the battle against waste and climate change.

Farm Urban – which delivers education and innovative solutions to sustainable food growing in communities – has been running the Future Food Heroes project since receiving a £19,580 grant from the Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority and Veolia Community Fund 2021/22.

The project has seen Farm Urban work with six primary schools from across the city region, teaching pupils in a dozen classes about sustainable food growing and food waste, while setting up a food ecosystem in each class.

According to national charity WRAP*, 70% of all food that’s thrown away in the UK comes from our homes, and 4.5million tonnes of edible food is thrown away each year by UK households. A lot of this could still be used and would save the average family around £700 a year in grocery costs. It is this behaviour the project is hoping to have an impact upon.

Paul Myers, Managing Director of Farm Urban, said: “This project has been about getting pupils to engage with the problem of food waste and providing resources to help them develop their own solutions.

“Supporting parents, guardians and family members to engage with the pupils in these projects will encourage them to continue the project once the initial activity has been completed. We hope we have been laying the groundwork for projects that will extend well beyond the end of our own.”

Future Food Heroes is nearing its completion, and by May Farm Urban will have:

– Delivered practical workshops introducing school pupils to key elements of an urban food ecosystem, including growing mushrooms using cardboard and spent coffee, and growing edible plants together with fish in an aquaponic system.

– Placed urban food ecosystems in classes across six schools to educate pupils about a zero-waste approach to food waste.

– Created Future Food Ambassadors who it’s hoped will influence family and friends by encouraging less wasteful food habits.

– Given 12-month access to an online 6-week learning programme, the Future Food Heroes Challenge, which includes guided experiments around the living labs in the classroom and activities for pupils.

– Prevented almost 15 tonnes of food from going to waste.

Carl Beer, Chief Executive of Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority, said: “The link between food waste and climate change is clear – 30% of global greenhouse gases are created from the production and distribution of food, whilst 81% of UK citizens are concerned about climate change, but only 32% see a link to food waste*. We must help people to recognise the relationship between waste and climate. This project is helping to do that by engaging with pupils and their families by giving them the knowledge and skills to make a difference.”

Smithdown Primary in Liverpool has been one of the schools involved in the project, and Year 5 Teacher Nikita Allt said: “The children have been really inspired and motivated by the project as it has provided them with ways in which they can be a force of change – it has been lovely to see!”

Jan, a pupil at Smithdown Primary pupils, said: “I really liked learning about the produce pod and watching the food grow. It was cool knowing that we are fighting climate change.”

Another Smithdown Primary pupil, Leema, said: “I didn’t know that food waste had such an impact on our carbon footprint so I have loved using the produce pod and learning more about how we can fight it.”

Paul Myers continued: “At the very core of urban farming is the aim of reducing the environmental impact of current food production, so the children who have participated on this programme will be contributing towards its goals. By establishing, inspiring and motivating young ambassadors, the wider environmental impacts of this project will have a long-lasting, positive effect on the environment for years to come, promoting systemic change in families to improve their sustainable lifestyles.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

* Figures from Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP) https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/article/wasting-food-feeds-climate-change / https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/it-all-adds-up/ 

Picture captions:

MRWA_FARM_2022A – (left to right) Paul Myers (Farm Urban) and Nikita Allt (Year 5 teacher, Smithdown Primary School) with pupils.

MRWA_FARM_2022B – Pupils at Smithdown Road Primary School, Liverpool

– The Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority and Veolia Community Fund is open to community and voluntary sector groups, faith groups, not for profit social enterprises and schools in Merseyside and Halton.

– The impact of the 2020/21 Fund saw 13 projects divert 291 tonnes of material from disposal, 19,915 people directly engaged, participation of 12,125 volunteer hours, 85 events held, 451 training sessions take place, and a 541 tonnes reduction in CO2 equivalent emissions.

– Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority is responsible for the disposal of municipal waste on Merseyside. Established in 1986 following the abolition of Merseyside County Council, it is a statutory Authority that works with all the local authorities on Merseyside – Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral. MRWA takes a lead in advocating recycling, waste minimisation and safe and effective disposal of waste for Merseyside residents.

– Farm Urban is a social enterprise established in 2014 that delivers innovative solutions to sustainable growing food in cities and educates communities on how to do this. In 2019 they installed Liverpool’s first vertical farm in the Baltic Triangle, continuing their mission to find more efficient and sustainable ways to produce food by systematically reducing food waste and plastic packaging, creating more circular urban food systems and driving bottom-up behaviour change to our food systems.

Categories

Restrictions to access at Otterspool Recycling Centre, Jericho Lane, Liverpool

Home >

Restrictions to access at Otterspool Recycling Centre, Jericho Lane, Liverpool

Liverpool Half Marathon on Sunday 27 March 2022

There will be restrictions to the access at the Otterspool Recycling Centre during the Liverpool Half Marathon on Sunday 27th March 2022.

Access to and from Jericho Lane / Aigburth Road will be restricted between 9.00 am – 12.00 noon approx as runners pass from Sefton Park to Otterspool Park via the underpass and then across the top of Jericho Lane. The junction will be open as soon as the last runner passes into Otterspool Park.

To avoid disruption:

● Use Old Swan Recycling Centre, Cheadle Avenue, Old Swan, L13 3AF.
● Access via the Riverside Drive approach, by proceeding along Aigburth Road, Park Road left into Parliament Street, left into Sefton Street.

The road closure at the junction of Aigburth Road and Jericho Lane will be reopened when the last runner passes or at approximately 12.00pm.

For more detailed information on the half marathon and road closures please go to: www.btrliverpool.com

Download: Resident letter with route map with times.

For your nearest Recycling Centre click here.

Categories

Defibrillators installed at Recycling Centres across Merseyside and Halton

Home >

Recycling Centres operated by Veolia on behalf of Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority now have emergency defibrillators on all sites.     

A total of 19 defibrillators are now in place at recycling facilities, including the 16 Household Waste Recycling Centres across the region.

With an annual footfall of over 1.5 million visitors, the sites will be set up to save lives should they ever be needed. The cost of the defibrillators has been shared equally by Veolia and Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA).

All of the defibrillators are fully automatic – with visual and voice prompts to guide the rescuer through the entire resuscitation process, including CPR which is a key link in the chain of survival. The equipment analyses heart rhythm and automatically delivers a shock if needed.

Jeff Sears, Director of Veolia Merseyside and Halton, said: “Veolia are extremely proud to partner with MRWA to install defibrillators at key sites across the region. Our sites are visited by over 1.5 million residents every year, so having this vital equipment available to use in an emergency situation could help to save a life.”

Councillor Tony Concepcion, Chairperson of MRWA, said: “We have thousands of visitors to our Centres every week, so while we hope the defibrillators never have to be used it’s reassuring to know that they are there and can be accessed by staff quickly in an emergency.”

ENDS

…

Notes to the Editor

Photo caption (left to right): MRWA Chief Executive Carl Beer (left), MRWA Chairperson Councillor Tony Concepcion (centre), & Director of Veolia Merseyside & Halton Jeff Sears (right) at Huyton Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Full list of Household Waste Recycling Centres in Merseyside & Halton:

  • Bidston Recycling Centre, Wallasey Bridge Road, Birkenhead CH41 1EB
  • Clatterbridge Recycling Centre, Mount Road, Clatterbridge, Wirral, CH63 4JZ
  • Formby Recycling Centre Altcar Road, Formby, L37 8DL
  • Huyton Recycling Centre, Wilson Road, Huyton, L36 6AD
  • Johnsons Lane Recycling Centre, Johnsons Lane, Widnes, WA8 0SJ
  • Kirkby Recycling Centre, Depot Road, Knowsley industrial Park, L33 3AR
  • Newton Le Willows Recycling Centre, Junction Lane, Newton-le-Willows, WA12 8DN
  • Otterspool Recycling Centre, Jericho Lane, Liverpool L17 5AR
  • Old Swan Recycling Centre, Cheadle Avenue, Liverpool, L13 3AF
  • Picow Farm Recycling Centre, Picow Farm Road, Runcorn, WA7 4UD
  • Rainhill Recycling Centre, Tasker Terrace, Rainhill, L35 4NX
  • Ravenhead Recycling Centre, Burtonhead Road, St Helens, WA9 5EA
  • Sefton Meadows Recycling Centre, Sefton Lane, Maghull, L31 8BT
  • South Sefton Recycling Centre, Irlam Road, Bootle, L20 4AE
  • Southport Recycling Centre, Foul Lane, Southport, PR8 5LA
  • West Kirby Recycling Centre, Greenbank Road, West Kirby, CH48 5HL

About Veolia UK

Veolia group aims to be the benchmark company for ecological transformation. With nearly 179,000 employees worldwide, the Group designs and provides game-changing solutions that are both useful and practical for water, waste and energy management. Through its three complementary business activities, Veolia helps to develop access to resources, preserve available resources, and replenish them. In 2020, the Veolia group supplied 95 million people with drinking water and 62 million people with wastewater service, produced nearly 43 million megawatt hours of energy and treated 47 million metric tons of waste. Veolia Environnement (listed on Paris Euronext: VIE) recorded consolidated revenue of €26.010 billion in 2020. www.veolia.com

For more information visit us at www.veolia.co.uk or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/veoliauk.

About MRWA

Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority is responsible for the disposal of municipal waste on Merseyside. Established in 1986 following the abolition of Merseyside County Council, it is a statutory Authority that works with all the local authorities on Merseyside – Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral. MRWA takes a lead in advocating recycling, waste minimisation and safe and effective disposal of waste for Merseyside’s residents. www.merseysidewda.gov.uk 

 

Categories

Longer hours for Recycling Centres

Home >

Liverpool City Region residents will soon have the opportunity to recycle more as Household Waste Recycling Centres open for an extra three hours every day.

From Friday 1st April the region’s Centres will be open from 8.00am until 8.00pm*.

There are 14 Household Waste Recycling Centres in the region. They are operated by resource management company Veolia on behalf of Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA).

Carl Beer, Chief Executive of MRWA, said: “The Recycling Centres accept a range of household materials for recycling, from batteries, cans and cardboard, through to garden clippings, glass bottles, wood, and white goods. They also accept lesser-known items such as food and drink cartons, clothes, hard plastics and electrical items. The lighter summer nights mean we can open for longer.”

Householders can check both www.recycleright.org.uk or www.merseysidewda.gov.uk for details of what can be accepted at their local site.

The Centres provide a popular service for residents and can become extremely busy at peak times so visits should be planned carefully.

There is a system in place for those who wish to visit in a van or with a large trailer. Bookings can be made at www.merseysidewda.gov.uk.

More information on what you can do with your household waste items can be found at www.recycleright.org.uk.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The picture attached is of a Merseyside Household Waste Recycling Centre.

From 1st April 2022 until 30th September 2022 Merseyside’s Household Waste Recycling Centres will be open from 8.00am until 8.00pm*. The Centres are located at:

Knowsley –
Huyton – Wilson Road – L36 6AD
Kirkby – Depot Road, Knowsley Industrial Park – L33 3AR

Liverpool –
Old Swan – Cheadle Avenue – L13 3AF
Otterspool – Jericho Lane, Aigburth – L17 5AR

Sefton –
Formby – Altcar Road, Formby – L37 8EG
Sefton Meadows – Sefton Lane, Maghull – L31 8BX
Southport – Foul Lane, Scarisbrick New Road – PR9 7RG
South Sefton – Irlam Road, Bootle – L20 4AE

St Helens –
Newton-le-Willows – Junction Lane – WA12 8DN
*Rainhill – Tasker Terrace, Rainhill – L35 4NX
Ravenhead – Burtonhead Road, St. Helens – WA9 5EA

Wirral –
Bidston – Wallasey Bridge Road, Birkenhead – CH41 1EB
Clatterbridge – Mount Road, Clatterbridge – CH63 4JZ
West Kirby – Greenbank Road – CH48 5HR

*NB:
Rainhill: Open 9.00am–6.00pm on Saturdays; 9.00am–3.00pm on Sundays

Categories

Worms, furniture, food and fashion – the college on a mission to supply students with sustainable skills

Home >

Carmel College in St Helens has been teaching its students to become more environmentally aware with practical recycling and reuse skills, thanks to a funding boost it received last year.

The college received the funding to deliver the Sustainable Steps Towards Sustainability project which has been helping empower their students with the knowledge and abilities to live a more sustainable life.

The Sixth Form College on Prescot Road, St Helens, was awarded £8000 by the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority & Veolia Community Fund 2021/22. This has helped deliver the project which has held workshops on food waste recycling, clothes reuse and repair, furniture upcycling, as well as support on a range of environmental issues.

Joanne Barrett, Assistant Head of Department for Foundation Learning at Carmel College, said: “The project has been promoting and giving advice on ways to reduce, reuse and recycle through workshops, activities and an assortment of promotional items and materials. These included food, furniture, plastics, paper, paint, garden waste and clothes – everyday items which don’t have to be discarded after one use.

“We have wanted to provide a foundation of understanding around recycling and reuse and the impact of waste on the environment, and not just for students but also for staff and the local community. Most importantly we want those who have participated to learn and develop skills that are sustainable and maintainable.”

The project is nearing its end this March, and Carmel College have:

– established an Eco Enterprise workshop to look at organic and zero waste soaps, decorations, beeswax wraps, candles and upcycled furniture
– set up a student-run social media account to promote sustainable messages and advice
– run seven sustainable workshops for over 200 participants
– purchased food waste caddies for College waste food
– used the College garden allotment to grow their own produce which is being sold in the College farm shop
– installed new composting and worm-farm facilities at the College Sensory Garden
– hosted a Sustainability Showcase Day to promote the achievements of the project.

The College has also set up their own sustainable business called the EcoHive, which helps students to not only learn about sustainability and repurposing items but also develops employability and entrepreneurial skills.

 Councillor Tony Concepcion, Chairperson of Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority, said: “This has been a great project as it has targeted a variety of materials which we know don’t have to be wasted, they can be used again. The Community Fund is great at reaching people we wouldn’t normally be able to, raising awareness of waste issues, giving participants knowledge and teaching them skills to help use Earth’s resources sustainably.”

The Catholic Sixth Form College also received MRWA Community Fund money in 2018 for its Foundation Learning Department’s Sensory Garden, which was created using reclaimed materials.

Joanne Barrett said: “Our previous project used the funding to create an amazing space in what was previously an overgrown patch of ground, using unwanted and reclaimed materials. This time round we’ve held workshops which will equip students with the skills to reuse and repurpose old and unwanted furniture and clothes, plus taught them how to grow their own food.”

ENDS

Note to editors

  • Image captions –

MRWA_CarmelCollege2022A – students putting together a wormery
MRWA_CarmelCollege2022B – crafts for sale using reused and repurposed materials
MRWA_CarmelCollege2022C – a pop up clothes swap shop at Carmel College Christmas Market December 2021
MRWA_CarmelCollege2022D / MRWA_CarmelCollege2022E – launch of 2018 Sensory Garden Community Fund project Carmel College, St Helens.

  • Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority is responsible for the disposal of municipal waste on Merseyside. Established in 1986 following the abolition of Merseyside County Council, it is a statutory Authority that works with all the local authorities on Merseyside – Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral. MRWA takes a lead in advocating recycling, waste minimisation and safe and effective disposal of waste for Merseyside residents.
  • The MRWA and Veolia Community Fund 2021/22 has seen 17 community groups from Merseyside and Halton receive a funding boost to help make the region a cleaner and greener place. The financial support will see the groups help reduce household waste, encourage recycling and resource re-use, and prevent carbon emissions. Funding total is £164,999.38
Categories

Liverpool City Region residents urged to Recycle Right

Home >
A new campaign has been launched across the Liverpool City Region reminding residents how to make the most of their recycling.

Don’t Treat us Like Rubbish is part of Recycle Right, an initiative led by Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority, MRWA to help improve recycling rates across the city region. The new campaign is reminding local householders of what can be recycled where and preventing bagged waste and unwanted materials being put into recycling bins.

Councillor Tony Concepcion, Chairperson of MRWA, said: “Items are being put in recycling bins that aren’t currently accepted, and some materials are placed in dirty, or recycling bagged up, which can often ruin entire loads of collected recyclables.

“Our core message is trying to remind residents that recycling is a valuable resource, not just rubbish. We need to keep our recycling clean and leave it loose in our bins.”

The new campaign can be seen on digital media screens around the city region, as well as on social media channels.

Carl Beer, Chief Executive of MRWA said: “Data shows that there is an issue with contamination across the city region which comes from bagged recycling, which is unable to be recycled effectively.

“The campaign is a reminder to everyone about what they can recycle and where they can recycle it. Managing materials and resources sustainably is key in the fight against climate change and having a local environment we can all be proud of.”

For more information about recycling in the Liverpool City Region please visit www.recycleright.org.uk.

ENDS

Categories

£165,000 fund launched to help community groups reduce, reuse and recycle

Home >

A share of £165,000 is up for grabs to help community groups make the Liverpool City region a cleaner and greener place.

The funding – made available via the Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority and Veolia Community Fund 2022/23 – is for community and voluntary groups, schools and not-for-profit organisations, who can reduce household waste, encourage recycling and resource re-use and prevent carbon emissions. The projects will also have to demonstrate wider positive impacts on the environment, health and education.

Chairperson of Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority (MRWA), Councillor Tony Concepcion, said: “We know that there are a lot of communities concerned about climate change and sustainable living. Giving groups the opportunity to get involved in looking after their environment can only bring benefits to all and can help us appreciate items as valuable resources rather than something which otherwise might be just thrown away.

“We’ve seen that previous projects have continued to deliver benefits beyond the first year, through their legacy and ongoing impact on behavioural change, and in many cases through new or continuing activities.”

Successful applicants can be awarded up to £30,000 for schemes which operate across all six districts in Merseyside and Halton, and between £1000 and £8,000 for projects which work solely at one local authority level.

Bids must tackle one or more of the four priority household waste materials which have been identified by MRWA as key, namely Food, Plastics, Textiles and Furniture. An analysis of waste in the region highlighted that a greater amount of these materials could be re-used or recycled. Projects can also include other household waste materials, for example paper, card, metals.

Previous Community Fund projects have included local recycling guidebooks, cookery clubs to improve people’s diet and reduce food waste, fruit and veg gleaning, restoring old furniture to sell for charity and refurbishing unwanted rugs for resale. In November last year one project held a mock COP26 climate change conference with schoolchildren from across Liverpool City Region to help highlight wasted clothes and textiles.

One group to have previously received funding was Bootle-based Regenerus, who were awarded £8000 in 2020 to deliver their Taking Root project. Visiting local farms and orchards, volunteers were able to pick fresh fruit and vegetables that would have otherwise been disposed of or left to rot, then learned about the different ways to preserve and cook the produce at food workshops.

Ruth Livesey, Business Development Manager at Regenerus, said: “The MRWA Community Fund helped us to deliver a project which stopped food being wasted and that food then got into the hands of those who needed it the most.

“We were able to rescue all sorts of fruit and veg, including cabbage, cauliflowers, onions and pumpkins. We took groups along to our gleaning expeditions, bringing back fresh food which was shared out at our community cook and eat events, as well being distributed to local residents with the help of South Sefton Foodbank.”

Interested groups can download the application form via the MRWA website www.merseysidewda.gov.uk. The deadline for submissions is 11.59pm on Sunday 20th March 2022. If groups aren’t sure whether their project is appropriate for consideration then they can submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via email to MRWA before Sunday 27th February 2022.

Successful projects should receive the funding by mid May 2022 and will have ten months to deliver their schemes by March 2023.

Organisations interested in this year’s Community Fund can:

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS:

Sunday 20th March 2022, 11.59pm.

 ENDS

Note to editors

Image captions:

MRWA_TAKING ROOT1 – The Renegerus Taking Root team on a glean at a local farm for cabbages

MRWA_Climate_2021B – local school pupils at the mock COP26 Climate and Clothing Conference, Liverpool, 4th November 2021

MRWA_CF2021 – MRWA Community Fund projects event, 14 September 2021

  • The £165,000 comes from the Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority and Veolia Community Fund 2022/23, which has been running annually since 2006.
  • The impact of the 2020/21 Fund saw 13 projects divert 291 tonnes of material from disposal, 19,915 people directly engaged, participation of 12,125 volunteer hours, 85 events held, 451 training sessions take place, and a 541 tonne reduction in CO2 equivalent emissions.
  • The Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority and Veolia Community Fund is open to community and voluntary sector groups, faith groups, not for profit social enterprises and schools in Merseyside and Halton.
  • Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority is responsible for the disposal of municipal waste on Merseyside. Established in 1986 following the abolition of Merseyside County Council, it is a statutory Authority that works with all the local authorities on Merseyside – Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral. MRWA takes a lead in advocating recycling, waste minimisation and safe and effective disposal of waste for Merseyside residents.
Categories

Achieving Zero Waste in the Liverpool City Region

Home >

A resource has launched this week that will provide residents across the Liverpool City Region with help, advice and opportunities to start their zero waste journey in their homes and communities.

Zero Waste LCR www.zerowastelcr.com is a new brand featuring a website and supporting social media channels. We are working to achieve zero waste by 2040 and are supporting the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s commitment to net zero carbon by 2040.

Zero Waste LCR recognises the important part waste and resources plays in combating the effects of climate change and the adoption of a zero waste circular economy.

Speaking about the launch, Councillor Tony Concepcion, Chairperson of Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority said: “We want to make the City Region a place where all materials are viewed and valued as usable resources and nothing goes to waste – we need to waste less, and reuse, repair, share and recycle more.

These new resources are a great starting point in bringing together ideas, information and opportunities so that residents across the Liverpool City Region can start their own zero waste journey.”

Carl Beer, Chief Executive of Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority said: “I would encourage everyone to follow our social media and have a look at the new website.  In the coming weeks and months, we’re going to be launching a range of activities so that residents can get more involved – and we can get their views and ideas going forward.”

ENDS