Apr 11 2006
Signalling continued support for the work of WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) in boosting the UK’s recycling and resource efficiency, the European Commission has approved, under EU State Aid rules, WRAP’s market development activity through to 2010.
Notified to the Commission for clearance last year, the extension also covers R&D and the latest materials – tyres, plasterboard and batteries – included within WRAP’s remit as part of Defra’s Business Resource Efficiency & Waste (BREW) programme.
The announcement will help WRAP to divert at least three million tonnes of material away from landfill through waste reduction and recycling. Chief Executive of WRAP, Jennie Price, said:
“I am delighted that the Commission has approved this extension to WRAP’s State Aid clearance. The UK is rising to the challenge of landfilling less and recycling more and this gives WRAP the green light to continue its efforts to boost our growing recycling industry.”
“I would like to thank the Commission’s competition and environment directorate officials, and colleagues from UKREP, DTI, SJ Berwin, Defra and the WRAP team for their sustained effort in achieving this breakthrough.”
The clearance, approved without any investigation, recognises that the WRAP programme is in line with the European Community’s environmental objectives and causes no undue distortion of competition. It means that WRAP initiatives to provide capital grants to stimulate recycling infrastructure in the UK can proceed, along with R&D projects to investigate new technologies and markets.