Pile of colourful shredded plastic

Resource Action Fund

Diverting, reducing, and better managing waste

The Resource Action Fund was an £18million fund, provided by Defra to support resource efficiency projects, with the goal of diverting, reducing, and better managing waste.

A logo that says Resource Action Fund
Please note that the Resource Action Fund is now closed.
  • The Fund supported new projects in England, aimed at resource efficiency.
  • Funded by Defra, the Resource Action Fund supported key policy outcomes in the areas of food, plastics, textiles, recycling infrastructure, and litter. It did this through a variety of mechanisms including large and small-scale grants, and through expert support in the areas of food and non-household municipal recycling.

Impact

Over their lifetime*, the impact of these interventions will continue to grow:

  • The 296 organisations that have received support through the Resource Action Fund are expected to divert over 180,871 tonnes of waste.
  • This is estimated to avoid over 395,228 tonnes of CO2e emissions.

Find out more about the Resource Action Fund's impact here.

Food grants 

The Resource Action Fund grant schemes for food waste prevention aimed to address three key challenges to reducing and preventing food waste:

  • utilisation of surplus food;
  • turning unavoidable food waste into valuable products; and
  • changing consumer behaviours.
Overall, the initiatives funded are expected to divert over 30,466 tonnes of food from being wasted and therefore to avoid over 122,588 tonnes of CO2e emissions. It is also anticipated that grant projects will result in 29 new full-time equivalent jobs.

Find out more about the impact of the Resource Action Fund food grants here.

Plastics Packaging Grant

Grants providing new capital infrastructure projects to significantly increase recycling capacity for difficult to recycle plastic packaging materials.

Overall, these initiatives are expected to divert over 113,369 tonnes of plastic waste from landfill. This is estimated to avoid over 206,404 tonnes of CO2e emissions.

Find out more about the impact of this grant here.

Textiles Recycling and Re-use Grant

Grants aimed at reducing waste through investment in equipment and innovative solutions to increase the recycling of textiles or extend its lifetime through reuse or repurposing, so that this material remains a valuable resource.

Overall, the initiatives funded through the Resource Action Fund are expected to divert over 13,970 tonnes of textile waste from landfill. This is estimated to avoid over 20,068 tonnes of CO2e emissions.
Find out more about the impact of this grant here.

Non-Household Municipal Business Waste (NHM)

Grants providing capital infrastructure and equipment to increase recycling capacity of non-household municipal waste. Non-household municipal waste includes packaging, paper, and food waste generated by settings such as offices and the hospitality and food, education, health, transport, retail and wholesale sectors.

Overall, the initiatives funded through the Resource Action Fund are expected to divert over 23,066 tonnes of NHM waste from landfill. This is estimated to avoid over 46,169 tonnes of CO2e emissions. It is also anticipated that grant projects will result in 12 new full-time equivalent jobs.
Find out more about the impact of this grant here.

Litter Binfrastructure Grant – applications are now closed

Grants supporting local authorities in England to improve litter bin infrastructure.

Expert support for food businesses

For large UK food and drink businesses we have a team of Business Engagement Specialists to help you on your food waste reduction journey by supporting the implementation of the ‘Target, Measure, Act’ approach in UK operations.

If you would like to speak to a member of the team about the support available please contact us. 

Find out more about the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap where you can find a wealth of information including an up-to-date list of supporters and committed businesses.

* Lifetime is estimated at 10 years, except for value from food waste grants where this is the six month monitoring period.