This month funding for the Recycling Matters project has come to an end. Efforts to get an extension have failed and now it’s unclear if the project will get any further funding from New Deal, or who will be able to meet the New Deal’s aim of setting up local recycling initiatives.
The project opened in October 2003 in the renovated shop on Spital Hill and aimed to raise awareness and establish recycling sites throughout Burngreave. It ran into trouble getting permission from the Council and Onyx to set up recycling points so they haven’t been able to meet all their outputs on time.
SCRAP say they are on the verge of establishing two recycling sites, and recycling bins have been ordered. They hope volunteers will be able to keep the Recycling Matters shop open for at least part of the week.
Although the workers were given notice, right until the last minute they were promised the project would be granted an extension. So it came as a shock when they learnt their jobs would end. SCRAP Ltd, the project managers, say they are still waiting for proper reasons to be given as to why the project was not given its promised extension.
New Deal say they offered Recycling Matters ‘considerable support’. They have also identified three other projects where they have major concerns. They have put ‘Improvement Plans’ in place and these projects will be tightly monitored over the next six months.