Furniture and household items donated by the public and obtained from Recycling Centres throughout Limerick have been restored and will be put on display at Limerick County Hall in Dooradoyle from tomorrow, Saturday (16 November).
Growing out of a 2012 pilot furniture upcycling project between the Limerick-based Southern Region Waste Management Office (SRWMO) and West Limerick Resources, Back2New is an innovative new social enterprise managed by West Limerick Resources which currently employs twelve participants of the TUS work placement scheme who are gaining skills in furniture repair and upholstery
A wide range of old and unwanted furniture items have been restored and will be on sale in the atrium of County Hall on Friday November 22nd. All proceeds will be reinvested into the future development and expansion of the initiative.
Highlighting the benefits of the project, West Limerick Resources’ Back2New Coordinator Trevor Howell stated, “To date we have received a number of generous donations of unwanted furniture from local households as well as the Waste Management Section of Limerick County Council and I think that the former owners will be surprised to see how they have been transformed through a bit of imagination and a lot of hard work on the part of the participants. The participants, who come from a range of backgrounds, have been developing their practical and creative skills over the last few months and are now ready to progress towards the sales and marketing side of the initiative.”
The event forms part of the 7th annual European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) which is aimed at encouraging EU citizens to take action on the amount of waste they produce and to raise awareness about preventing waste.
Commenting on the Back2New project, Pauline McDonogh, SWRMO Waste Prevention Coordinator stated: “We are delighted to support this wonderful community based upcycling initiative that sources old and unwanted furniture and revamps them into one-off unique pieces of furniture, while at the same time developing the skills and employability of participants on the TÚS Community Work Placement Scheme. All pieces going on display are for sale so if you are looking for an affordable yet stylish addition to your home in time for Christmas or indeed a Christmas present with a difference, visit the display in County Hall from November 16th to 22nd.”
Ms. McDonogh explained that the key message being delivered during EWWR is that the “best waste is waste that is never produced.” She continued: “522kg of municipal waste is generated on average per person in the European Union. Household waste also has doubled in weight in 40 years and has been growing steadily at a rate of 1-2%. Therefore, raising awareness about waste reduction and promoting changes in production and consumption patterns is more urgent than ever.”
Ms. McDonogh said a number of other messages and waste prevention initiatives are being promoted during EWWR by the Waste Management Office.
“During the coming week, we will be encouraging members of the public to carry out any of a number of actions that can dramatically reduce the amount of waste that is generated. These actions include placing a putting a No Junk Mail Sticker on their letter box, investing in a drinking bottle that can be re-filled, and visiting www.stopfoodwaste.ie for practical tips on how to save money on shopping and the amount of wasted food. The average householder in Ireland wastes an equivalent of €600 in wasted food each year,” Ms. McDonogh concluded.
EWRR is a LIFE+ project, and is supported by the European Commission and coordinated nationally by the EPA. Further information is available from the project website www.ewwr.eu or www.managewaste.ie.
For more information on Back2New visit www.wlr.ie or see Back2New Community Upcycling on Facebook
Growing out of a 2012 pilot furniture upcycling project between the Limerick-based Southern Region Waste Management Office (SRWMO) and West Limerick Resources, Back2New is an innovative new social enterprise managed by West Limerick Resources which currently employs twelve participants of the TUS work placement scheme who are gaining skills in furniture repair and upholstery
A wide range of old and unwanted furniture items have been restored and will be on sale in the atrium of County Hall on Friday November 22nd. All proceeds will be reinvested into the future development and expansion of the initiative.
Highlighting the benefits of the project, West Limerick Resources’ Back2New Coordinator Trevor Howell stated, “To date we have received a number of generous donations of unwanted furniture from local households as well as the Waste Management Section of Limerick County Council and I think that the former owners will be surprised to see how they have been transformed through a bit of imagination and a lot of hard work on the part of the participants. The participants, who come from a range of backgrounds, have been developing their practical and creative skills over the last few months and are now ready to progress towards the sales and marketing side of the initiative.”
The event forms part of the 7th annual European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) which is aimed at encouraging EU citizens to take action on the amount of waste they produce and to raise awareness about preventing waste.
Commenting on the Back2New project, Pauline McDonogh, SWRMO Waste Prevention Coordinator stated: “We are delighted to support this wonderful community based upcycling initiative that sources old and unwanted furniture and revamps them into one-off unique pieces of furniture, while at the same time developing the skills and employability of participants on the TÚS Community Work Placement Scheme. All pieces going on display are for sale so if you are looking for an affordable yet stylish addition to your home in time for Christmas or indeed a Christmas present with a difference, visit the display in County Hall from November 16th to 22nd.”
Ms. McDonogh explained that the key message being delivered during EWWR is that the “best waste is waste that is never produced.” She continued: “522kg of municipal waste is generated on average per person in the European Union. Household waste also has doubled in weight in 40 years and has been growing steadily at a rate of 1-2%. Therefore, raising awareness about waste reduction and promoting changes in production and consumption patterns is more urgent than ever.”
Ms. McDonogh said a number of other messages and waste prevention initiatives are being promoted during EWWR by the Waste Management Office.
“During the coming week, we will be encouraging members of the public to carry out any of a number of actions that can dramatically reduce the amount of waste that is generated. These actions include placing a putting a No Junk Mail Sticker on their letter box, investing in a drinking bottle that can be re-filled, and visiting www.stopfoodwaste.ie for practical tips on how to save money on shopping and the amount of wasted food. The average householder in Ireland wastes an equivalent of €600 in wasted food each year,” Ms. McDonogh concluded.
EWRR is a LIFE+ project, and is supported by the European Commission and coordinated nationally by the EPA. Further information is available from the project website www.ewwr.eu or www.managewaste.ie.
For more information on Back2New visit www.wlr.ie or see Back2New Community Upcycling on Facebook
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