Ten CRNS Members have been successful in securing grant funding to support the electrical waste reuse and recycling sector in response to COVID-19

Material Focus has today announced that its “WEEE Support Grants and Loans Package” to help support the electrical waste recycling sector as a result of the impact of COVID-19 has allocated £2.5 million.

As part of the “WEEE Support Grants and Loans Package” over £500,000 has been allocated in grants to 34 organisations in the UK charity sector supporting the reuse of electricals as the sector deals with the impact of the coronavirus.  Ten of these were CRNS Members, have been successful in securing vital funding from the UK-wide WEEE Support Grants Package.

The WEEE Fund structured and allocated the fund on behalf of the 2019 Compliance Fee Advisory Panel, following extensive consultation and research amongst the electrical waste reuse and recycling sector.    The research identified the economic impact that the coronavirus was having on the sector.  The loans and grants that were applied for were allocated based upon evidence issued by applicants for WEEE processing in 2019, whilst applications for grants were reviewed by a panel of experts before being allocated.

Scott Butler, Executive Director of Material Focus said: “We are delighted that Material Focus has been able to rapidly help and support these charities.  The loans and grants are 100% backed by the Material Focus. We designed the application process to ensure speedy allocation of funding.”

Ten CRNS Members secured £122,000, 25% of the UK-wide grant funding, which will have a significant beneficial impact on the WEEE Reuse sector in Scotland.  Michael Cook, CEO of CRNS said “We were delighted that almost one third of eligible applications to the fund came from CRNS member organisations.  Despite the short timescale there were some very strong applications to consider”

Paul Smith, CEO of The Reuse Shop Stranraer, who received £10,000 from the fund, said ‘The WEEE Reuse Support Fund has enabled the Community Reuse Shop to reopen with extra confidence, knowing we have the necessary skills and resources to safely test, prepare and reuse electrical appliances.  Without this funding we would not be properly and safely prepared to reopen the shop.  We are seeing on day one of our shop reopening that the fund is paying dividends with electrical appliances, that would have otherwise gone to landfill are flying out the door.’

The Edinburgh Remakery also received £10,000.  Elaine Brown, CEO said “The Edinburgh Remakery is delighted to receive the WEEE Reuse Grant Support.  This will make a huge difference to the work we are doing.  Prior to Covid19 we had launched our free IT Disposal Service for Businesses.  The WEEE Grant will enable us to bring back one of our IT technicians to refurbish the IT donations from businesses and another member of the team to promote the service and support businesses through the process. This has given a real kick start to our project that will both benefit businesses to dispose of E-waste responsibly, but also allow us to continue to donate refurbished IT to those in the community that are facing digital isolation as a direct result of Covid19.”

Craig Anderson, CEO of the Re-Use Network who processed the grant funding said: “This funding will not only help stabilise the WEEE Reuse charity sector, but will also mean they will be able to process and supply electricals to those most affected by Covid19, self-isolation and lockdown.”