10 projects promoting the circular economy in Ireland will benefit from funding of €490,000.
Minister of State Ossian Smyth has today (Friday, August 20) announced the recipients of the first Circular Economy Innovation Grant Scheme (CEIGS).
In a circular economy, “waste and resource use are minimised, the value of products and materials is maintained for as long as possible through good design, durability and repair, and when a product has reached the end of its life, its parts are used again and again to create further useful products”.
Funding under this round of the CEIGS was initially set at €250,000. However, the minister secured an additional €240,000.
Selected projects
Congratulating the successful applicants, Minister Smyth said:
“The scale of the challenge to become circular requires change at every level of our society.
“I am delighted to be able to support these projects which have been proposed from people active in making and advocating change. We can learn so much from doing.”
The selected projects are in areas such as reusable food packaging, sustainable fashion, marine plastics and construction.
The beneficiaries include:
- GIY Ireland;
- Community Resources Network Ireland;
- Cork Environmental Forum;
- Irish Green Building Council;
- Novelplast Teoranta.
Circular Economy Bill
The CEIGS was launched in April of this year.
For now, funding offers are conditional on the satisfaction of due diligence and other requirements. However, those that make it through to a final award can expect to get their projects underway this autumn.
Following a public consultation this spring, Ireland’s first ‘All of Government Circular Economy Strategy’ is expected to be published in September, alongside the Circular Economy Bill.
The new legislation will involve “radical change” to production and consumption, limiting single-use products and clamping down on littering and dumping among other measures, according to the department.