A major new initiative, to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Tayside identify and capitalise on circular economy opportunities, launches today. Circular Tayside is a joint initiative delivered by Zero Waste Scotland, Perthshire Chamber of Commerce and Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce.
Tayside is one of four Scottish regions selected in 2018 to receive free support and project funding for local businesses. Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce will deliver a range of local activities to help identify opportunities for local business in Dundee and Angus, and direct them towards available support and funding. The initiative is backed by the Scottish Government and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
A circular economy is one in which we eradicate waste by keeping resources and products in use for as long as possible. It offers opportunities to Scottish business to develop new products and services which promote repeated use, not single-use – for example: leasing, repair, or take-back services, or designing new products from another industry’s ‘waste’ through effective collaboration.
Iain Gulland, Chief Executive, Zero Waste Scotland, said:
“I’m delighted today to announce Zero Waste Scotland is joining forces with Dundee & Angus Chambers of Commerce to launch Circular Tayside, an ambitious initiative to unlock the potential for SMEs in the region, by thinking innovatively about business models.
“Circular Tayside is a terrific opportunity to help businesses in Angus, Dundee, Perth and Kinross in making the transition to a circular economy, that has the potential to create jobs, support sustainable business models and help the environment and the economy. Across Scotland, a circular economy could generate £3 billion of annual benefits.
“Scotland is at the cutting edge of developing a more circular economy, and was recently chosen to host the Circular Economy Hotspot Scotland, a major international trade mission, taking place later this year. Businesses are already capitalising on the vast benefits of being circular and, through new business models, are finding untapped opportunities for innovation and increased profitability, whilst addressing the issue of resource pressures.”
Alison Henderson, Chief Executive, Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce said:
“This is a huge opportunity for businesses and the wider community in the tay cities region. We’re delighted to be working in partnership to help local firms access the free support and funding that will be available to take Circular Economy opportunities forward. Whether a business can look to save on its costs, or create new revenue opportunities from working with waste from another business - these are all great economic opportunities for our businesses and our area.”
Circular Tayside complements Zero Waste Scotland’s nationwide support for SMEs to develop circular economy business ideas, including its £18million Circular Economy Investment Fund and Circular Economy Business Support Service.
The initiative is part of the Resource Efficient Circular Economy Accelerator Programme, which will invest £27million in Scotland in circular economy projects until December 2019, thanks to support from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Zero Waste Scotland leads on delivery of the £73 million Resource Efficient Circular Economy Accelerator Programme, which aims to improve the economic performance of SMEs while at the same time reducing the impact of economic activity on the natural environment, supporting Scottish Government and EU policies.
For more information about Circular Tayside, please visit https://www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk/153_CircularTayside.html
Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce
As the leading business membership organisation in Dundee & Angus and part of the worldwide long-established Chamber of Commerce brand, we help local businesses to connect, communicate and develop for business benefit.
