Funding approved for NW waste management project
Funding for phase two of the North West Waste Technology Virtual Centre of Excellence has been approved.
The project aims to establish the region as a centre of excellence for recycling and waste technologies services and innovation.
North West Development Agency will support the scheme with £3.8m of funding, which is matched by £2.7m from the European Regional Development Fund and £600,000 from local authorities in the region.
With ERDF and NWDA joint funding up until 2012, the project will continue to offer technical advice, partnership working and referrals and is expected to create 300 jobs, safeguard 940 jobs, add £25.5m to the value of the sector and divert 570,000 tonnes of waste from landfill across the North West.
The project will concentrate on four key themes:
- Research and Development: Stimulate research and development to generate new and existing waste management and recycling methods
- Technology Commercialisation: Assist recycling and waste technology businesses with near to market technologies to demonstrate their capabilities to potential clients
- Sector Development: Ensure that North West companies gain as large a share as possible of the growth and investment opportunities in the waste and recycling sector in the UK and internationally
- Market Development: To develop sustainable markets for recycled materials by supporting and promoting manufacturers and end users of recycled-content products
Supported by the private, public and third sector, the project will continue to be delivered by Envirolink Northwest and the NWDA's regional cluster body for energy and environmental technologies.
