4.5 Waste Prevention and Reduction

In order to realise significant levels of waste minimisation a co-ordinated effort with government, government agencies and industry is fundamental. There will be a requirement for further regulatory and economic instruments, increased education and awareness and other measures to stimulate waste minimisation activity.

The ADG WSAG partners will consider the best means of initiating and delivering waste prevention and reduction support to companies in the area. Current activities include the Ayrshire Textiles Project, which identified returns of £538,000 across the 11 companies taking part in the project (representing a 1% return on turnover).

An Isle of Arran Waste Minimisation Project is currently being launched, which hopes to integrate with the sustainable waste-management issues being debated.

Dumfries and Galloway has a specific Waste Minimisation Forum (facilitated by SEPA), which is currently operating four minimisation projects. These include the Esk Water Project; based on industry around Langholm. The main interest of this project is to demonstrate a reduction in the toxicity of the water quality directly below the town's sewage treatment plant outfall.

Projects currently being drawn up include:

• An agricultural based project. This focuses on the Kirtle catchment, but hopefully will yield some insights into waste generation from these sources, which can be extrapolated across the area.

• A food-manufacturing project. Food manufacturing is a significant local industry, which generates 7% of GDP in Dumfries and Galloway and employs 2800 people.

• A High Street based retail project. Located at Castle Douglas, this hopes to engage the entire High Street and yield returns and lessons, which can be applied across similar towns in the rest of the area.

Dumfries and Galloway has introduced a subsidised home-composting scheme, which has proved to be very successful, introducing home composters into some 6,000 households (9%) throughout Dumfries and Galloway. A recent survey by the Scottish Waste Action Group indicated that 36% of households in Dumfries and Galloway with gardens currently practice home composting.

South Ayrshire Council has embarked on an extensive home-composting project, and has now introduced over 11,000 new home-compost bins to householders. The council is also working closely with several partner organisations such as the West of Scotland Agricultural College at Auchincruive on waste-minimisation projects.

Girvan Sustainable Community is another initiative, which has been developed, and a Girvan waste minimisation group operates within the project.

The Energy Efficiency Advice Centre in Ayr provides information and assistance to the public on all forms of energy use. The centre has organised training courses for businesses on energy efficiency and waste minimisation. 5,728 businesses have been contacted by the centre within the last year and 150 businesses have been specifically trained on waste minimisation techniques. Over 50 employees in the leisure industry have been trained on waste minimisation, as have 50 domestic carers. This is the first energy agency of its type in mainland Scotland and European revenue funding has assisted greatly with its introduction.

Visit Scotland organised an environmental award scheme for businesses in South Ayrshire and other award schemes such as Vision in Business and Environment also contributed to waste minimisation within the district.

The three Ayrshire Councils have also formed the Ayrshire Waste Management Advisory Group, which involves officers of the councils meeting at regular intervals to discuss and implement a range of waste management initiatives.