SCOTLAND: Renfrewshire recycling centre opens

12.00.00am GMT Mon 12th Jan 2004

An innovative new recycling project in Renfrewshire will provide a route back to work for the area's long-term unemployed and also provide refurbished computers to disadvantaged households and groups.

The Wise Group's "Recycle Renfrewshire" Centre, which was officially opened today by Ross Finnie, Minister for the Environment, will collect, refurbish and redistribute furniture and used PC's to disadvantaged households and communities in the Renfrewshire area.

The Centre accepts donations of old furniture and computers, which are then refurbished by local unemployed people who are offered a variety of training opportunities. The project is expected to create 21 places for training and employability support.

Mr Finnie said:

"Too often valuable resources are squandered as waste. The Scottish Executive is committed to recycling, reusing and reducing waste to protect our environment and create new economic opportunities.

"This innovative project will bring many benefits to the people of Renfrewshire. It will provide opportunities for the area's long-term unemployed to help them gain skills and work experience.

"It will also assist people on low incomes by providing them with furniture free of charge and tackle digital exclusion through the provision of recycled computer equipment to disadvantaged communities.

"This recycling centre is a tangible example of how by sustainably using our resources we can benefit our communities and create job opportunities."

The "Recycle Renfrewshire" project focuses on community need in the Renfrewshire area. The target groups for this project are the long term unemployed and disadvantaged groups in the Renfrewshire area. The project will collect; refurbish and redistribute furniture and used PCs to disadvantaged households.

The project will create 21 places for training and employability support. The initiative trains unemployed people to refurbish and repair computers and household goods before distributing them free of charge to the local community.

The project aims to achieve the following (per annum):

• 800 collections of unwanted furniture from the local community

• delivery of recycled furniture to 600 families in Renfrewshire

• Collection of 400 PC's from public/private organisations

• Delivery of 220 refurbished pc's to residents and community groups

• 200 tonnes of material redirected from landfill.

The Wise Group was established in 1983 as a 'not for profit' company with Charitable status. It has particular expertise and experience in the Intermediate Labour Market, where people have the biggest hurdles to overcome. It aims to move people from long-term unemployment and incapacity benefit into sustainable employment.