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The Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District (JQBID) has partnered with First Mile to help improve recycling rates across the Jewellery Quarter. As a leading environmental business, First Mile are committed to being waste-busters, increasing the number of ways waste can be recycled across the Quarter.

Partnering with First Mile, the JQBID offers a subsidised recycling scheme to help the approximately 700 levy payers recycle more waste and streamline current recycling systems: ensuring a higher recycling rate at a discounted price.

The scheme also tackles many issues that local businesses have experienced in the past, including irregular collections and an accumulation of waste, by offering a daily collection service.

A local coffee shop favourite, Saint Kitchen, situated on the beautiful Saint Paul’s Square, now recycles their used coffee grounds which are then made into logs for wood burners. Will Binks, General Manager at Saint Kitchen says “It’s great knowing that we’re doing our bit in terms of recycling and First Mile have made this as simple and straight forward as it should be. Daily collections rather than having a stinky bin on a weekly service from our previous waste disposal company is a huge positive as well. Let’s get more businesses involved in this scheme and help keep the JQ Green, and clean”.

The circular economy and safeguarding Birmingham’s environment are aspects that First Mile are strongly passionate about. Matthew Verney, Recycling Advisor at First Mile for Birmingham says “We want to make Birmingham greener and we’re being proactive about it! We aim to reduce our road emissions in the Jewellery Quarter area by consolidating collections to twice a day, resulting in the removal of one vehicle from the road daily”.

The Jewellery Quarter BID is the first BID in Birmingham to introduce a subsidised recycling scheme, paving the way for First Mile to edge closer to their mission of creating a more sustainable Birmingham!

Luke Crane, JQBID Director, said “The BID includes over 700 commercial units producing waste and refuse. As a business community we have a responsibility to reduce any detrimental impact we may be having on the environment. Working with First Mile provides us a great opportunity to deliver this objective and reduce our carbon footprint as a business collective”.

To ensure sign up for businesses is as hassle free as possible, First Mile have introduced a dedicated Recycling Advisor for the Jewellery Quarter, Vinny Madhar.

For more information on the scheme, businesses can contact Vinny via email Vinny.madhar@thefirstmile.co.uk or through phone: 07701 315 703.

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