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Grant funding for the Chartered Institution of Waste Management Wales Development Officer

The Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development has agreed to the allocation of £17,990 to the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management to continue to match fund the Wales Development Officer post in 2012/13

Date of decision / Dyddiad y penderfyniad:

29 March 2012

Statement of information / Datganiad gwybodaeth:

The Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development has been asked to approve the continuation of matched funding for the Wales Development Officer post within the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) Wales for the next year, 2012/13, on behalf of the Welsh Government.

Towards Zero Waste was published in 2010 and outlines ambitious policies and targets to achieve significant levels of waste prevention and high recycling rates by 2025 and zero waste (100% recycling) and one planet levels of waste by 2050.  It takes into account Welsh Government’s commitment to One Wales: One Planet by 2050 as well as taking full account of the principles and objectives enshrined in the revised EU Waste Framework Directive with its drive for waste prevention, preparation for reuse and high levels of high quality recycling.

Towards Zero Waste sets a strong clear policy direction for sustainable waste and resources management in Wales.  It will be delivered through a series of Sector Plans that will form the action plan for each sector.   There is a programme of work to develop the Sector Plans, and this includes full public consultation of each draft plan. To date a Municipal Sector Plan has been consulted upon and published, and the following plans have been subject to consultation: Collections Infrastructure and Markets Sector Plan, the Food Manufacture Service and Retail Sector Plan and the Construction and Demolition Sector Plan

The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) is the professional body which represents over 7,000 waste management professionals - predominantly in the UK but also overseas. CIWM sets the professional standards for individuals working in the waste management industry and has various grades of membership determined by education, qualification and experience.

The CIWM Cymru/Wales Centre comprises over 400 waste professionals representing all waste management activities across the country. CIWM Wales members work in local and national governments, Environment Agency Wales, private waste companies, consultancies, social enterprises, and in education and research centres.

The CIWM Wales Development Officer post was first funded for the financial years 2005-06 and 2006-07. The Welsh Government provided funding to match that provided by CIWM on a like for like basis, for the creation of a full time position to meet specific Welsh objectives linked to Wise About Waste, The National Waste Strategy for Wales (2002). The funding was extended for the financial years 2007-08 to 2011-12.

The Wales Development Officer aimed to deliver the following outputs:
• Organisation of training for waste managers and staff in Wales;
• Facilitation of training in Waste Awareness for staff in businesses;
• Provision of technical meetings around Wales covering topics foundational to Wise about Waste
• Organisation of study tours for Welsh members and other stakeholders.

The rate of change within the waste management arena is high as Wales seeks to deliver sustainable practices to all industry sectors. To this end the appointment of a full time Wales Development Officer has enabled CIWM to assist the Welsh Government in the delivery of continuing professional development of those engaged in waste management in Wales through open seminars, meetings, demonstration events and focused training courses.