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Shetland Amenity Trust Environment Project |
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Wednesday, 15 October 2003 |
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Shetland Amenity Trust undertakes a number of environmental improvement projects that bring benefits to Shetland.
Overview
PROJECT SUMMARY
Shetland Amenity Trust undertakes a number of environmental improvement projects that bring benefits to Shetland. The uplift of over 800 scrap cars, closure and landscape of illegal dumps, adopt a beach schemes, supporting communities in
the clearance of over 70 tonnes of rubbish from over 200 sites each year, development of waste minimisation/re-use and anti-litter initiatives and the community recycling of farm plastics, alu-cans, inkjet cartridges, community repaint schemes and seasonal recycling of Christmas cards all play a significant role in the visual amenity of Shetland as well as involving large sections of the community in these projects.
KEY PARTNERS
The key local partner was the Association of Shetland Community Councils
External partners included Jim Graham from Entrust, Keep Scotland Beautiful, SEPA Area Waste Coordinators, RAGS, Scottish Executive and European funding bodies.
FUNDERS
Both capital and revenue funding has been attracted over the years. Sponsorship has also come from Shetland Council, BP and others, local businesses, and the Fisherman's Association.
Some income is also generated through a number of means:
Aluminium cans generate cash which is given back to the local groups and schools who collect them.
Architectural salvage materials that are saved from landfill, are reused in other arms of the trust such as the conservation of Shetlands build heritage and are also given to local groups working on infrastructure projects as in-kind grants.
Glass Recycling is a self-sustaining business.
There are also plans to begin charging the local authority and others for the car collections and decontamination service.
THEMATIC CRITERIA
Highlands & Islands; Recycling/ Waste reduction; open space; pollution
Plan
OUTPUTS
The work of local communities is crucial for the maintenance of the beach clean ups. Nine hundred tonnes of waste would still be lying on Shetlands beaches if it were not for the project.
The Community Councils now administer a number of the projects that were initially run by the trust.
The number of fly tips and illegal dumps have been permanently closed and landscaped.
There has been a cumulative impact in education and raising awareness. There is evidence of a raising of standards in and awareness of waste issues in the islands.
FUTURE STEPS
Plans are underway for the construction of a purpose built building to house a new recycling centre. This will include new aluminium can recycling equipment, architectural salvage materials store, composting initiatives, community repaint initiative. It is hoped that this will be operational by summer 2003.
Progress
Shetland Amenity Trust was set up in 1983 to improve visual amenity in Shetland. . Environmental projects have been a key part of its work ever since. The Trust is currently involved in a wide variety of projects to protect, promote and improve the cultural and environmental heritage of Shetland.
In the face of a decline in traditional industries such as fishing and oil exploration Shetlanders need to look at the natural heritage as a key asset. Tourism and interpretation infrastructure needed to be improved to increase the number of visitors and improve the experience of visitors to Shetland. Finally the wider environmental agenda was gaining policy and political support. There were also another factor in that the funding climate was favourable at both domestic and European levels.
Visitors and others who had complained about the prolific number of scrap cars and old farming equipment left rotting and rusting around the island were a key trigger for the project. In addition there was a serious problem with the accumulation of marine litter on the beaches of Shetland.
Key objectives of the project involved the enhancement of the visual amenity and enjoyment of the countryside, the encouragement of environmental awareness and the encouragement and development of waste minimisation re-use and recycling strategies.
The Environmental project now acts as an umbrella for several activities including
- Recycling and disposal of scrap metal, cars machinery etc
- Beach Clean ups - Da Voar Redd Up'
- Adopt A Beach Scheme
- Environmental Awards Scheme
- Community Recycling of Glass, Aluminium Cans, Ink Jet Cartridges, Architectural Salvage.
- Paint Recycling (community Repaint Scheme)
- Collection and disposal of plastic bail wrap
- Closure of Illegal dumps
- Education on waste minimisation
Initial funding from Shetland Islands Council and oil companies working in the area created a fund that could grant assist projects with running costs etc. This made the initial phase of the project possible.
The project developed from initial work with Da Voar Redd Up' litter clean ups into the wide range of waste minimisation projects outlined above. The projects often developed in response to community feedback and identification of concerns.
The project runs two 'Muck and Bruck Squads, one serving the mainland of Shetland and the other working in the North Isles to tackle the profusion of scrap cars and machinery on the island. They offer a comprehensive service for the free removal of bruck such as scrap vehicles, agricultural machinery, fencing wire etc.
The project has also taken advantage of national policy from the Scottish Executive and others in promoting its work and securing funding.
Making sure there is a quality product that everyone can be confident in.
Making sure they offer value for money
Making sure the community benefits from everything the project does.
Review
ACHIEVEMENTS
Over 800 scrap vehicles and 400 tonnes of scrap iron and fencing wire were uplifted by the Squads in 2002, Plastic bail wrap was uplifted from 130 crofts, closure and clearance of several illegal dumps per year, 75 tonnes of marine and other litter collected from Shetlands beaches by 3242 people (10% of the population) last year.
Beneficiaries from the project have been the entire population of Shetland, volunteers, visitors, schools, organisations, local businesses and the local authority.
Many projects have been more successful than expected sometimes have exceeded the capacity of the project to process the response e.g. decontamination of cars.
Christmas Card Recycling collected 1.7 tonnes in its first year.
Bottle banks have also been very successful.
Numbers of people participating in the beach clean ups continue to rise year on year when the project expected numbers to plateau early on.
MEASURING ACHIEVEMENT
Project targets and milestones
Funding criteria
Feedback from local community
Quantitative and qualitative recording of activity on clean ups etc. How many people came out? How much was collected?
Press coverage
PROCESS (local involvement)
A number of local people have been involved in the project through being trustees, members of local community councils, volunteers and other participants, or through schools and youth groups.
Local people are encouraged to get involved by the very good press coverage the Trust receives in print and on local radio, and the project also makes it easy for them to get involved by supplying packs and guidance and funding or prizes )eg the litter lottery) on occasion and through sponsorship initiatives,
Local people are involved as trustees of the Trust; through the Shetland Environment Group (via agencies represented there); or via Community Councils.
Numbers participating in the environmental activities of the trust have risen significantly over the years.
LESSONS
Involve and empower local people so that they can tackle local issues themselves.
When faced with a choice of getting in outside services, using agents, consultants etc, consider doing it yourself.
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