SUEZ announces new paint reuse scheme in Surrey
An estimated 55 million litres of paint go to waste in the UK each year, enough to fill 22 Olympic sized swimming pools. Previously, the tins of water-based paint sent to the 15 Community Recycling Centres (CRCs) in Surrey would be sent for disposal rather than recycling or reuse.
In early 2021, the team at SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, who operate the CRCs on behalf of Surrey County Council, sat down to consider ways to ‘Step it Up’ to improve recycling and divert even more waste away from disposal. To mark Recycle Week 2021, SUEZ is proud to announce this new scheme that will keep valuable resources from going to waste, all while raising money for a great cause.
Macmillan Cancer Support is a long-time charity partner of SUEZ and all donations through the paint shop will go directly to the charity, helping them to continue their work supporting individuals and families impacted by a cancer diagnosis.
The new paint shop is the latest addition to SUEZ’s reuse offering, with well-established reuse shops across the country. In Surrey, the four Revive reuse shops have proved popular with residents, helping to reduce waste by selling second-hand goods. The Revive shops donate 10% of proceeds to local charities, with over £50,000 reinvested in the community since 2018.
Gareth Swain, Surrey Regional Manager for SUEZ recycling and recovery UK said: “During Recycle Week and every week, we are committed to reducing waste in Surrey and will continue to look for ways to Step it Up by recycling and reusing more of the materials we collect. The new paint shop at the Guildford Community Recycling Centre will help save valuable resources while also supporting the important work of Macmillan Cancer Support. It is truly a win-win and we are thrilled to officially open this scheme to residents.”
Adam Nash, Senior Partnerships Development Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “There are currently 3 million people living with cancer in the UK who need support, which is why we are incredibly grateful for our partnership with SUEZ recycling and recovery UK. Donations made through the paint shop will help Macmillan continue to do whatever it takes to support people living with cancer.”
Marisa Heath, Cabinet Member for Environment at Surrey County Council said: “We’re always keen to encourage and support residents to reuse materials as much as possible and the new paint shop is a great new example of this. The paint shop is in addition to our Revive reuse shops which sell second-hand items and are successfully helping to reduce waste. I’m delighted that this initiative will help residents and also benefit Macmillan Cancer Support.”