Lead Organisation
Sustainability West Midlands
Project Manager: Anna Bright (Chief Executive)
Overview
SWM were selected by WRAP to work with Solihull Council to provide businesses across the borough with with a pilot of support in relation to new waste regulations, how the regulations will affect them, what they need to do and what resources are available to help them. The regulations are designed to improve the way businesses recycle and ultimately reduce the amount of wastage. They will require all businesses to separate these recyclable materials from their general waste. The regulations are designed to improve the way businesses recycle and ultimately reduce the amount of wastage. They will require all businesses to separate these recyclable materials from their general waste.
- Glass such as drinks bottles and rinsed empty food jars
- Metal such as drinks cans and food tins
- Plastic such as rinsed empty food containers and bottles
- Paper such as old newspapers and envelopes
- Cardboard such as delivery boxes and packaging
- Food – businesses will also need to separate food waste
Businesses across the Solihull area were encouraged to take a look at the new Business of Recycling website which provides a waste calculator tool to help businesses learn how much waste they generate and how recycling can help save money. The website also features step by step guidance to ensure they are compliant with the regulations and free downloadable communication resources to promote recycling in the workplace. In the Cranmore and Monkspath, Birmingham Business Park and Elmdon Trading Estate areas businesses were able to tap into free 1-2-1 support.
The pilot ran from March to April 2023.
SWM worked with WRAP and the Council to understand the use of the new website by businesses, and the impact that the provision of 1-2-1 support had on the participating businesses.
Solihull was one of five pilot areas selected for the work.
