[greenyes] Innovative Zero-Waste Resource Park Will Come to Sunrise Coast

[RicAnthony@no.address]

SUFFOLK
CONNECT
Linking local business & the community
 
 
 
 
 
 


PRESS RELEASE
 
Innovative Zero-Waste Resource Park Will Come to Sunrise Coast
 
 
6th September 2005: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
In three days of community meetings, the charity Suffolk CONNECT gathered 
support, without opposition, for a proposed resource development park in 
Lowestoft.  As well as local people, specialists from as far away as America attended 
to contribute to the consultations. One participant in the meeting with 
statutory authorities commented that further persuasion would be âpushing on an open 
door.â  
 
Suffolk Connect received total funding of Â117,500 from Defraâs Waste 
Partnership Fund, the East of England Development Agency and the Environment Agency 
to undertake the initial feasibility study and development work for the 
resource park, and it will now gather further funding to purchase the land and build 
the project.  It is expected to be an international model for preventing 
landfilling and pollution by developing businesses and jobs.  
 
The Zero-Waste Centre will receive a complete range of discarded materials 
from businesses and trades, then process them for reuse and recycling.  It will 
divide materials into 12 master categories, with many subcategories according 
to market needs.  The processed products will be available for immediate 
resale in their current state or for use as manufacturing feedstocks. The Centre 
will be owned and operated on behalf of the community and will rent out 
operational space to small and medium-sized social enterprises, charities, and private 
companies.  It will also provide training, environmental classrooms, and 
other community amenities.  
 
âIt is heartening to have received such solid support not only from statutory 
authorities, but also from businesses and community organisations,â said 
Maxine Narburgh, Research and Development Officer of Suffolk Connect.  â
Participants have already formed a working group to keep the project moving.  Since the 
community is so enthusiastic, we will act as quickly as we can.â  
 
The land is available and, after it has been purchased, the Centre will be 
located on 15 acres of industrially zoned greenfields in Lowestoft, with the 
potential to expand.  Some of the participating enterprises will locate their 
operations at the Centre, while others will take their resources elsewhere for 
manufacturing.  
 
According to Richard Anthony of Richard Anthony and Associates, a California 
consulting firm analyzing the projectâs feasibility, âOne of the beautiful 
aspects of this development is that it can include large, medium, and small 
enterprises to develop the entire supply of materials.â  
 
Tim Abbott, Chief Executive of Suffolk Connect, said, âWe were apprehensive 
about finding a consulting team with enough practical experience to develop a 
leading-edge facility.â  The consultants are an international collection of 
advisors, entrepreneurs, and statutory authorities with experience in designing 
and managing all aspects of the proposed facility.  Mr. Abbott said, âWe are 
delighted with their result.  This Centre will establish a model to be 
replicated in other areas of Suffolk County as well as in Norfolk County, Essex, and 
Cambridgeshire.â  
 
Continuesâ
 
Some enterprises have already expressed interest in locating at the Centre.  
These include an entrepreneur who collects and resells still-useful 
construction wood, and an interested businesswoman who operates a mobile program taking 
a collection of creepy-crawly animals and bugs to schools that will engage 
childrenâs imaginations while teaching about composting and recycling.  
 
On a larger scale, a major construction firm now burns much of its 
post-construction material but would prefer to recycle it if costs are low enough and 
convenience high enough, and a contractor would like to bring unwanted materials 
as well as to purchase old doors and windows for historic renovation.  
 
In addition to this, community service organisations and charities have 
expressed interested in the prospects for jobs, job training, new business 
development, and the expected economic multiplier effects.  
 
âBest of all,â said Ms. Narburgh, âthis facility will reduce pressure on our 
remaining landfills and prevent siting new ones, while it creates jobs in an 
entirely new vision of development.  This is the way forward for resources.â  
 
 
-ENDS-
 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
            
Maxine Narburgh
Research & Development Officer
 
Suffolk CONNECT
12 Grove Road, Lowestoft, NR32 1EB
 
Mobile: 07919 882701
 

Notes to Editors
 
1.                    The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) is working 
in partnership with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
(Defra) in England to manage the Waste Partnership Fund. 
 
The Waste Partnership Fund will give away Â3 million in grants to community 
groups before the end of March 2006. 
 
                        Waste Partnership Fund            
                        Tel: 0870 036 1000
                        Website: 
www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/community/cssp
Email: waste@no.address