The Local Scene
The following is a guide to organisations mostly in the Falmouth, Penryn and Truro catchment areas currently involved in delivering a circular approach to the use of products and materials.
It includes local community groups, social enterprises, and businesses (small and medium-sized), which are listed here alphabetically under headings by resource.
Circular Economy image by WRAP ( www.wrap.org.uk ), click image to view full size.
The Guide
Books and Publications
Cardboard Packaging
Community Economics and Skill-sharing (Freegle; LETS; Kernow Credit Union)
Food Waste (surplus food redistribution, waste food collections)
Furniture and Household Appliances
Green Garden Waste
Plastic Waste
Recycling Services (kerbside collection; household waste recycling centres; A-Z Guide; recycling destinations, specialist services)
Renewable Energy
Repair and Reuse Community Projects (repair cafes; libraries of things, community repaint)
Repair, Refill and Reuse Services (e.g. commercial bike repair, knife-sharpening, spectacles, hearing aids)
Research and Development (local, national, and international)
Textiles / Clothes (charity shops; clothing banks, bed linen, shoes and repair)
Other Hard-to-Recycle Materials:
See the Hard to Recycle list for the Falmouth/Penryn area and also the Hard to Recycle list for the Truro area for recycling services for materials which cannot yet be recycled from the kerbside
(There are a range of local collection points on both lists for contact lens, spectacles, toothbrushes/tubes, inkjet cartridges, energy-saving light bulbs, blister packs, soft/flexible plastics, and much more including mattresses)
Definition
the circular economy aims to keep materials and products in use in the economy for as long as possible: by reducing our waste through redesign/repurposing, reuse, repair, recycling, and composting, we can prevent the unnecessary extraction of raw materials, and help regenerate Nature
Context
many thousands of tonnes of waste go to landfill or incineration across the U.K. every year, much of which could be recovered and re-purposed, thus saving significant quantities of CO2 and other pollutants from entering the atmosphere, which contribute to climate change.
The adoption of a circular economy would, along with reduced consumption and the elimination of unnecessary packaging, go a long way towards achieving carbon neutrality, conserving valuable natural resources, protecting the local environment and benefit the local community, through job creation and keeping money circulating in the local economy
Recommended Use
the guide is intended to raise the profile of the growing importance of the circular economy, and encourage local support for both private and third sector organisations involved in its delivery.
Every effort has been made to ensure that this list is correct at the time of compilation, but is subject to change as new enterprises come on stream and others close. Check the web links, or the enterprise direct, for any possible new developments.
Help us keep this resource up-to-date with suggestions for new additions, and with any corrections – please use this form for that purpose
n.b. please check with the organisations concerned through their website and/or by phone
June 2025