The Scottish government has been named as a “finalist in the world’s circular economy awards”.
The Scotsman reported that Scotland is taking strides to move away from the “disposable culture”, and striving to turn waste into “something new and useful”. The article noted that promoting remanufacturing and reusing waste could save £1.5 billion ($1.8/€1.7 billion) a year in Scotland, while generating new jobs and skills, as well as claiming to reduce carbon emissions by 11 million tonnes by 2050.
The competition in the awards comes from public organisations in South Africa, China and Canada, and the winners will be announced at the Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland later in January.
Iain Gulland, CEO of Zero Waste Scotland, said that “the country had a commitment at the highest level” to the circular economy, and that the issue was now a major issue in the government’s economic and manufacturing strategies. Gulland also said “the benefits of adopting a more circular economy are huge – in terms of investment, jobs, and the environmental benefits of improved resource efficiency and less waste.
“As a society we know we can’t carry on consuming as we have. With a proven business case both environmentally and economically, it is in Scotland’s interests not just to adopt a more circular economy but to lead on it”. 25 companies in Scotland are now supported by Zero Waste Scotland, and Gulland commented that the key was to factor reuse and repair into new designs and products to give them “the longest life possible”.
Two companies are doing just that with low-grade potatoes being turned into vodka by Ogilvy Spirits, and stale rolls being turned into low alcohol beer by Jaw Brew.
Gulland noted: “Making items easy to disassemble and fix, or remanufacture, keeps them in use for longer and prevents valuable materials being wasted. The challenge now is to continue to engage organisations with the circular economy at a time when budgets are tight and businesses need to see a speedy return on their investment. That’s why Zero Waste Scotland continues to offer advice and funding for projects with a circular economy focus, helping to make innovative ideas a reality.”