Gro for Good
Find out more about aquaponics and how Gro for Good benefited from HIE innovation support in developing its local, nutritional food production.
We're helping the people of Moray transition into a circular community, and reuse is a win-win solution. We can all avoid creating unnecessary waste, get great value items, create a community resource, and play our part in the climate change strategy.Phil Mills, Operations Manager, Moray Waste Busters
Spotting an opportunity
In 2002, the original founders of Moray Waste Busters were operating a composting business, making use of green waste from local restaurants and cafes.
Based at Moray Council’s Household Waste and Recycling Centre, they noticed that high quality items were being thrown away into landfill. Initially they asked for these products as donations to support the composting initiative, but it became apparent that their rescue, sale and re-use was the way forward.
This year Moray Waste Busters forecasts it will divert around 150,000 items, or around 180-200 tonnes of material, away from landfill. The social enterprise employs 12 people, and is run by a local board drawn from it 50+ community membership.
Supporting local skills development
A business with social good at its heart, Moray Waste Busters promotes awareness of waste reduction and recycling issues, as well as supporting social inclusion by providing volunteer placements to help a wide range of local adults back into employment.
MWB accepts donations of furniture, household goods, bikes and garden items and sells them on at low cost. The charity does collections within a 30 miles radius of Forres, and offers a low cost house clearance service.
They are accredited by Revolve, Scotland's re−use quality standard for shops that sell second-hand goods in Scotland.
Shop income goes towards further development and funding of the enterprise's wider social aims, including their placement programme and education activities.
Working in Partnership
Partnership is an important part of Moray Waste Buster's success, and they have an excellent working relationship with the local council. Their somewhat unique position of being based at Moray Council’s Household Waste and Recycling Centre is hugely useful in diverting material from landfill.
Less landfill means reduced costs for Moray Council. Its a win win situation, as well as the environmental benefits there's a saving to the public purse.
There are plans for expansion into the future. MWB, Moray Council and HIE are working on plans to find more space, allowing MWB to bring in new waste streams and take on new initiatives to make use of the recyclable materials.
Support during COVID-19
Moray Waste Busters' work was supported during the COVID-19 pandemic with a £25,000 grant, approved by HIE through the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund. This allowed the business to cover operational overheads and meet government guidelines providing PPE and safety measures upon re-opening.
The Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund was managed by Scotland’s three enterprise agencies on behalf of Scottish Government. There was a high demand for the fund which received more than 5,000 applications Scotland-wide. Grants totalling almost £20m have been approved by HIE to 372 businesses across the Highlands and Islands.
A full list of companies to be awarded a grant as part of this funding programmes has now been published on the Scottish Enterprise website.
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