By EchoLive.ie Rachel Lysaght
Cork County Council has awarded more than €52,000 in funding to 23 community groups as part of its Circular Economy Fund.
Now in its second year, the fund aims to support communities in moving away from the traditional ‘take-make-use-dispose’ model, and to encourage actions that reuse, recycle, and minimise waste, with a particular focus this year on reducing single-use plastics (SUPs).
A wide range of projects have been supported in this round of funding, including reusable cup schemes at Transition Town Kinsale, the Ballymaloe Grainstore and Rylane Community Park Association; reusable container schemes for meals on wheels; and the installation of permanent water refill stations at Loreto Secondary School Fermoy, Fountainstown Community Sports Club, and at the Wild Atlantic Pool and Fitness Centre.
Other projects include community centres using reusable crockery rather than SUPs, and the provision of water stations at events.
The Mayor of Cork county, councillor Mary Linehan Foley, said that those awarded funds have “the potential to make a lasting impact”.
“It is very encouraging to see so many communities across the county taking meaningful steps to address single-use plastics and embrace circular economy principles.”
County Council CEO, Moira Murrell, expressed her appreciation for the local partnerships that are central to the fund’s success, saying “their efforts are vital to making Cork a more sustainable place to live, work, and visit”.