Welcome to the Network News

Welcome to the latest edition of the Network News. In this, the spring edition, the focus is on waste prevention, and highlights a few of the initiatives that are spearheading the cause.

WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) is very aware of the changing environmental landscape in Scotland and the need to respond to the Scottish Government’s strategic objective of a Zero Waste Scotland. In response to the challenges in Scotland, WRAP has established a new Scottish office based in Edinburgh.

So what part does WRAP play in today’s modern Scotland?

WRAP already works closely with Remade Scotland and the Scottish Waste Awareness Group (SWAG) primarily in relation to the household waste stream. WRAP also works with the Community Recycling Network in Scotland (CRNS) in order to meet the challenge of a ‘Zero Waste Scotland’.

I plan for WRAP to work effectively with other organisations in Scotland such as the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Envirowise and the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP).

WRAP will continue to engage and develop its relationship with business, including small and medium enterprises, as all companies play an important role in the Scottish economy. An example of this is helping businesses change from non-degradable plastic bags, to more eco-friendly solutions, as seen in this issue’s Focus On….

It’s always wise to educate future generations about how waste prevention can make a difference to the planet. You can see this in action by taking a look at the Schools Waste prevention feature. The feature reveals Scotland’s young waste warriors, and highlights their waste prevention strategies.

Whilst wishing to provide assistance across our range of expertise, WRAP believe that there is a need for a particular focus on establishing affordable and effective food waste collection and prevention systems, this is something which is highlighted in the Love Food + Hate Waste feature.

The first WRAP Scottish Business Plan will be launched this month and will build on our successes and develop many priority areas currently being considered with our partners and the Scottish Government.

The forthcoming years will require WRAP to provide a better focus on delivering strategic outcomes, to build on the strengths of partner organisations, eliminate overlap and duplication and deliver better value for money to the Scottish tax payer.

I look forward to working closely with many partner organisations, and to WRAP helping Scotland to a greener future.


Simon Putnam
WRAP’s Director of Scotland (Interim)
www.wrap.org.uk/scotland