About Us

 

In August 1998 a small group of local people came together over increasing concerns about waste management in Lochaber. In March 1999 the group became formalised as Lochaber Environmental Group.  

January 2000. Following a review of priorities for Lochaber, LEG embarked on a Waste Information Project, with the initial emphasis on home composting and waste awareness. Selling subsidised compost bins and providing advice on composting and other recycling activities, LEG was also active in encouraging schools and businesses to compost and recycle and produced an A-Z Guide to Recycling in Lochaber. In 2001 LEG received funding from the Lottery for a three year project, Community Action on Waste, to establish:
  •  a baseline of the take up of home composting “Home Composting in Lochaber 2002”
  •  the rate of diversion achieved by home compost bins “Diversion through Home Composting in Lochaber”
  •  the continuation rate of composters after the first year “Home Composting Behaviour in Lochaber 2003” 
With the support of The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, a full time Compost Officer was recruited in 2002 who:
  •  encouraged the take up of composting by schools in Lochaber
  • established a demonstration compost site
  • held a successful conference on community composting in Strontian, chaired by Hugh Raven, a local resident and member of the UK's Sustainable Development Commission.
  • Administration and funding of the first community compost site in the Highland region, located in Kinlochleven, was also taken on by LEG at this time. 
The Spirit of the Soil,a booklet explaining traditional local practices to enhance soil fertility, was produced with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund.  An exhibition with photos sourced from the local area was also held.
 
Refurnishings, a local reuse project was taken over and expanded with funding from the Scottish Executive's Sustainable Action Fund and the Highland Council Landfill Tax Scheme. Larger premises were obtained and an electrical repair workshop developed.
 
An aluminium can collection for schools and local businesses was also started by LEG with funds from the Fresh Futures programme and the Highland Council
 
2003/4. LEG was relocated with support from Transforming Waste Scotland to a new central hub at Torlundy taking the Refurnishings project and development of recycling services into an ambitious programme of growth.
 
2005/06. Two new community compost sites were set up in Strontian and Glencoe and a service level agreement was established with the Highland Council for the diversion of green waste and household goods from landfill. Refurnishings was unable to achieve the tonnage targets set, therefore this project was suspended in 2006.  However, during its lifetime the project recovered 50 – 80 T of goods each year for re-use and was very popular with donors and beneficiaries alike across the whole area.
 
2006/08. LEG received a grant from the Increase II Programme to continue the development of community composting, expanding by an additional two sites, one in Acharacle and the other alongside an Allotment Project on the Cow Hill at Fort William instigated by the Forestry Commission bringing the site total to five.
 
2009/11. The Climate Challenge Fund awarded LEG the wherewithal to employ a full time Project Officer to establish the Renew Network.
 

2011/12 The Climate Challenge Fund awarded LEG a one year grant for the Lochaber Initiative on Fuel and Energy (LIFE). Zero Waste Scotland funded a Zero Waste Officer based at LEG, covering Skye and Lochaber.

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Lochaber Environmental Group, An Drochaid, Claggan, Fort William PH33 6PH
Scottish Charity SC029091 Company No 251043