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y-waste is an organisation that believes in the power and benefit of collaborative working. It is a social enterprise that orginated from Stroud Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses with support from Parklife and Stroud District Council.
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In a report conducted by the Forest Environment & Resource Network the following issues for local businesses were identified:
  • High cost of waste management. Large companies can either take advantage of economies of scale or are able to employ a dedicated waste manager to source the best price. Individual SMEs can't do this, collectively they might…
  • Legislation. SME's would have to dedicate much of their scarce resources to be aware of all new legislation. The government is likely to deliver a new waste strategy this year which will add to the administrative burden.
  • Environment. Of the 10 ½ million tonnes of waste produced in the South West, over ¾ is from trade and the majority of this goes to landfill which is closely reaching saturation. Local SMEs, on the whole, say they would happily recycle but feel they have neither the time nor the resources to evaluate collection or disposal of this material. 85%, in a survey in 2005, agreed it was more effective to collaborate over waste collection methods. Business rates do not cover trade waste management.
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    Combining the results of this report and information gathered by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), in the summer of 2006, the founder members of y-waste, Preeti Bharadia, Terry Morgan and Carole Garfield of the FSB and Stroud Chamber or Trade and Commerce, were spurred on to conduct a survey with local businesses to help shape a commercial waste collection and recycling scheme that would fit the various needs of individual businesses. Supported by Stroud District Council and Parklife, y-waste went on to consult with businesses and waste contractors to identify a cost effective waste management and recycling system that would provide businesses with the opportunity to recycle more.

    “One of the key messages coming out of the survey is that many businesses are keen to recycle their waste but are finding it a challenge to do so because of a lack of a suitable recycling service - and this supports the findings from the FSB” said Preeti Bharadia.

    Another message from the questionnaire was that almost two thirds of businesses know of the 'Duty of Care' responsibility relating to their waste, but are not always fully aware of the legislative implications. Carlos Novoth from the Public Space Services department at Stroud District Council explains: "It would appear that many businesses are operating outside of the law, without being aware of it . The Council sees the y-waste initiative as a way of raising awareness about the regulations, and offering the means to tackle the current challenges of recycling”.
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    y-waste is a member of
    Stroud Chamber of CommerceNational Industrial Symbiosis Programme
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    Federation of Small Businesses - Stroud Branch
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