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The DCRN and DCCN's Annual Conference will be held on 24th June 2009
at Boniface Centre, Crediton. Recycling, Composting, Reuse and
Climate Action Groups will come together with interested individuals,
Councillors and Local Authority Officers to explore cutting edge issues
affecting our communities. Register your place now via e-mail to:
dcrn-ccn@hotmail.com
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Refurnish Devon and The Resettlement Agency
Plymouth are among 15 national winners out of 139 applicants
selected to be social enterprise champions working to tackle
homelessness through furniture reuse, volunteering, skills training
and work experience. The ‘Spark’ programme, whose backers include
Big Issue Invest, Price Waterhouse Coopers, BT, and the Governments
Homelessness Unit, is a pioneering development and investment
programme of £1.6m that aims to inspire organisations to build
social enterprises that will tackle some of the biggest social
issues we face using sustainable social enterprise business models.
Having two Devon winners underlines the good practice and
achievements of our reuse partnerships and shows the innovative and
entrepreneurial approach they are taking.
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Devon Climate Action Network has been launched
in March 2009. There are already over 70 members - join now and see
latest news on
http://www.devonclimateactionnetwork.ning.com
DCRN and DCCN are also working with the
Dartmoor Circle which comprises 13 climate action groups around
Dartmoor. They are jointly working on a carbon reduction plan with
the National Park to create more sustainable and resilient
communities and boost reuse, recycling and composting.
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Mid Devon Community Recycling has won
the contract from Devon Primary Care Trust to provide recycling
services to 70 establishments across Devon. The community business
continues to expand its trade waste recycling service across Devon.
http://www.mdcrl.org
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Devon schools recycling and composting
grants -
£500 grants are available from Devon County Council. The initiative
aims to encourage more recycling and composting in Devon schools
- if your school wants to do more there is lots of support. E mail:
heidi.diepold@devon.gov.uk.
at Devon County Council for details of the grants and other
programmes of school waste work or 01392 382920. Contact Nicky Scott for
composting in schools via e-mail to:
dcrn-ccn@hotmail.com or
contact your LA Recycling Officer for recycling
support. Nicky has been installing Jora tumbler composters and
'Scotties Hotbox' as a workable composting system. Resource Futures is
now delivering waste education in Devon schools, including waste
audits to paper making to portable living 'wormeries'.
http://www.resourcefutures.co.uk There's also the annual Waste Summit
attended by pupils from over 10 schools. Additionally the
eco-schools programme takes a wider approach to support schools to
address waste,
energy, water, resources and other isues.
http://www.ecoschools.org.uk
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DCCN continues to offer the 'Compost
Doctors' service to enable businesses to start composting their
food waste arisings on site. Contact:
http://www.dccn.org.uk
Nicky Scott 01647 432923. This includes new in-vessel composters
such as the 'Ridan' and the 'Hotbox'. Request a spring 2009
newsletter for further detail on the new Ridan Composter.
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TQ Recycling Ltd have gained planning permission
for a new plastic sorting plant to be located near Kingsbridge in Devon.
The plant aims to use state of the art technology to sort 10,000
tonnes of mixed plastics for recycling, and has the potential to
transform the way plastics from trade waste and households are dealt with in the area.
It will be the
first automated sorting plant of its kind in the region.
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Devon scoops triple awards! - Devon won 3 awards
at the 2008 Community Recycling Network Conference in recognition of outstanding
achievements and performance - Mid Devon
Community Recycling won 'Best kerbside recycling project', Proper Job
won the 'Climate conscious' award and Nicky Scott won individual
contribution to the sector.
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Mid Devon Community Recycling were also
presented with the 'Social Enterprise Mark' by Secretary of State
Hilary Benn at the
Conference. The Mark will work similar to the Fair Trade Mark. MDCR
are the first recycling organisation to qualify for the prestigious
mark. It shows that the business meets ethical, social, environmental
and local economic standards.
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Past
newsletters can be downloaded direct from DCRN's and DCCN's websites and newsletters
can be sent out in in pdf format
via e-mail if required - please see newsletter page
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Devon Authorities hit 50% recycling rate!
This combined recycling rate for Devon has put the county in the nations
top performers for recycling. Both Teignbridge and South Hams Districts both
topped 56% recycling rate. Extended kerbside collections, reorganised
Recycling Centres, increased reuse and waste awareness campaigns have all
helped. However, major challenges are still
to be faced, such as waste reduction, raising participation in hard to reach areas, stopping trade waste leaking into the
system, ending un-segregated waste disposal at rural waste skips, and
reaching the biodegradable waste diversion targets for the Landfill
Directive. Visit www.recycledevon.org.uk
for info on all Local Authority recycling matters
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Phil Hope, Government Minister for the Third
Sector visited Proper Job and Mid Devon Community Recycling on
route to the Eden Project. The Minister demonstrated his support for
the brilliant work community businesses are doing in Devon in bringing
added value, providing services and jobs, and stimulating
community engagement . Phil Hope is a committed supporter of
co-operatives.
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Printer toner
cartridge recycling for Exeter - Neil
Wintrip of A1 Positive
Recycling Project offers a comprehensive printer cartridge reuse
and recycling
service to businesses and households.
Contact: Neil Wintrip, A1 Positive
Recycling Project Ltd, 63a Summerway,
Whipton, Exeter EX4 8DJ Tel:01392 202779
E-mail:
neil@positiverecyclingproject.org.uk.