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Promoting resource efficiency and sustainable waste management

To encourage the efficient use of energy and resources, including through the uptake of efficient (including low carbon) technologies and practices and improved waste management

Purpose

To reduce the impact of businesses on the environment and contribute to tackling climate change in cost effective ways that can also help business efficiency and long term competitiveness.

Why offer public sector support?

Provision of support to business to encourage or enable reductions in business sector emissions, the use of water, energy and raw materials procured, consumed, and produced improve waste management and minimization practices and promote the move toward a low-carbon economy.

Evidence from the Stern report and elsewhere, suggests that businesses are not installing energy and resource efficient measures despite the potential savings to be realised. The reasons for this include lack of time, the perceived small return at the firm level, higher priority calls on a limited budget, and lack of expertise within the company. These are examples of possible mismatch between private and social benefits and costs to due to external costs and benefits to others from private actions. This is often the result of businesses being unaware of the environmental risks, how best to reduce waste and improve energy efficiency in ways that minimise costs, without having a negative impact on business operations. There are significant cost and efficiency gains that businesses can take advantage of through improved resource use.

What will be offered?

Promotion of the business investment benefits of resource and energy efficiency and improved waste management through offering practical help and highlighting the effects of waste crime. Provision of support to networks (such as trade and professional bodies), intermediaries and businesses is intended to achieve the following outcomes:

• stimulate a decrease in the amount of energy, natural resources and raw materials used;
• reduce the amount of waste created;
• encourage reuse of materials considered as waste;
• increase recycling;
• encourage take-up of environmental standards;
• increase understanding of, and compliance with, relevant environmental legislation and deployment of new and emerging environmentally friendly technologies.

The specific support provided is as follows:

• specialist Information and advice delivered through for example events, networking, technical articles, web-based information; online self-assessment tools; telephone helpline and hard copy information packs.
• expertise provided through for example on-site visits, networking.
• finance entailing grants or loans

Who will be eligible?

It is aimed at all those whose business activities which use water, energy and raw materials and produce waste, in all sectors. Target audiences are those with significant potential for reduced energy consumption, resource use and waste generation (e.g. construction, manufacturing, retail, the recycling sector). In addition, process industries; food and drink; catering; glass and glazing; facilities management .and social enterprises that own or manage assets, such as leisure trusts and development trusts. This will be tailored to ensure small and medium sized businesses are able to benefit fully from the offer.