Wales is making a bold move towards creating a circular economy, something which is being backed strongly by businesses like Taclus Confidential who provide shredding services.
The Welsh Government is launching a £6.5 million Circular Economy Fund to boost the use of recycled materials.
As well as benefitting the environment, the fund’s aim is to create and protect jobs in Wales in industries such as manufacturing and shredding.
What is a Circular Economy?
This is an economy where resources remain in use for as long as possible. This is achieved by recovering and regenerating materials when they reach the end of their life. In other words, recycling as much as possible instead of sending them to landfill or for incineration.
Take the example of shredded hard drives. The metal can be recovered and re-used in new products, without more metals having to be mined. This reduces the resources needed to make items, reduces the impact on the environment, and cuts the amount of waste in landfill.
Hannah Blythyn, the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government, said: “In Wales…we are within touching distance of being the world’s top recycling nation. I want us to go even further towards a truly circular economy.”
What is the aim of the fund?
Towards Zero Waste, the Welsh Government’s strategy sets targets of 70% recycling by 2025 and 100% recycling by 2050.
The fund’s aims are also that manufacturing businesses will become more resource efficient, and local supply chains will be strengthened.
The new fund, administered by WRAP Cymru, will help businesses looking for capital investment funding to increase the use of recycled materials in components, manufactured products, or packaging.
Ms Blythyn said the fund’s grants will help with the costs of investing in new equipment and infrastructure. More recycled materials will be used in Welsh manufacturing.
“We know this has the potential to bring significant cost savings as well as helping businesses to reduce their carbon footprint,” she added.
“Increased use of recycled material…also helps create and protect jobs by making Welsh manufacturing companies more resource efficient and resilient in terms of the security of supply of raw materials.”
How will this benefit manufacturers and the shredding industry?
Taclus Confidential’s Managing Director David Lovatt said: “This is excellent news for manufacturers as this helps them move towards using their own waste or sourcing their recycled paper, card, plastics, and metals locally in Wales.
“This cuts the costs of transport in their supply chains and helps support the local economy.
“In the future, resources will become scarce, too, so this gives their supply chain security.
“For the shredding industry, this helps to protect existing jobs and create new ones.
“We’ll be able to advise manufacturers how shredding can help their processes and ensure they meet the requirements of the Circular Economy.”
For example, a business shredding its confidential waste paper could use that to produce its packaging.
Why you should choose Taclus Confidential – A South Wales secure shredding company
- We offer confidential paper waste, removable media, and hard drive destruction services at affordable prices.
- Taclus Confidential holds the accreditations for ISO 9001:2015 for quality management and ISO14001:2015 for environmental management and has been certified by independent auditors IQS for both.
- Taclus has also been selected as the confidential waste management partner for Keep Wales Tidy.