THE Scottish FA (SFA) and Zero Waste Scotland have partnered to offer free environmental support to football clubs across the country.
Guidance will be given to clubs on reducing energy, recycling, water and waste management costs in a move that the SFA said could save clubs thousands of pounds each year and also act as a ‘financial lifeline’.
As part of the initiative, an interest-free loan of up to £100,000 is being made available to each club for measures such as the installation of more efficient heating, lighting and insulation or implementing projects to cut waste management costs and maximising recycling.
SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell said, “We are eager to introduce our clubs to the support and guidance of Zero Waste Scotland, in a bid to reduce carbon emissions and operational costs for football clubs at all levels of the game. Thanks to funding from Scottish Government, the environmental benefits from the work of Zero Waste Scotland are clear to see. This guidance will not only support the Scottish football family, but also play a small part in the bigger goal of protecting our planet.
“We are actively encouraging clubs to make the most of this game-changing opportunity by reaching out and taking advantage of what Zero Waste Scotland has to offer.”
Zero Waste Scotland chief executive Iain Gulland added, “We are keen to support all of Scotland’s football clubs to be more efficient in everything they do off the park. From floodlights to catering, minimising energy use and the costs associated with waste is good for business and the environment. The climate crisis will affect us all and we need a collective effort to address it. We are grateful to the Scottish Football Association for their advice on ways we can work with clubs to generate financial savings that can benefit the environment and the game across the country.”
