COMMUNITY groups are being urged to apply to a £100,000 grant pot which has been launched by Zero Waste Scotland to help local communities tackle the litter and flytipping which blights their neighbourhoods.

The Litter and Flytipping Community Action Fund will enable new and innovative projects across Scotland to be delivered by communities, and with 96% of Scottish adults agreeing that littering is unacceptable this fund will help people to take real action.

The fund is being delivered by Zero Waste Scotland, as part of the delivery of the Scottish Government’s ambitious national litter strategy, Towards a Litter-Free Scotland.

Constituted community groups experiencing the persistent problems of littering and flytipping are being encouraged to apply for grants of between £500 and £10,000 and applications can be submitted until 5pm on Friday 19th September 2014.

The fund will support community-led activity to tackle litter and flytipping on the ground, to promote increased community ownership of the issues, and raise awareness and stimulate long term public behavioural change.

Project ideas could include community clean up and prevention measures; adopt a street projects or localised awareness raising and behaviour change campaigns to reduce some of Scotland’s most commonly-littered and flytipped items.

Iain Gulland, Director, Zero Waste Scotland, said:“The negative impacts suffered by communities affected by littering and flytipping are huge. With over £1million a week being spent in Scotland to tackle the problem, the new Community Action Fund will support community groups who are ready to take forward action to help prevent litter and flytipping in Scotland.

“I would urge any community group with a plan or an idea which meets the criteria to get in touch and make an application.” Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said: “The Scottish Government is determined to tackle the problem of litter and flytipping that blights many of our communities. Local community groups make great contributions to these efforts, and have clear ideas about how to take responsibility for addressing problems on their doorsteps. This fund will support them in taking forward practical plans for prevention and clean-up and I would encourage community groups to get involved.” For more detailed information about the criteria for the Fund, please visit www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/CommunityActionFund or contact lftsecretariat@zerowastescotland.org.uk.