A project for the development of a new renewable bulk builders' bag has been awarded UK Government funding through the Highland and Islands Enterprise (HIE).

The 'Easy Empty Reusable Bag' (EEB) enables multiple use (15 times or more) and easy access, meaning major environmental and safety advantages.

The project, nearing completion in Argyll, has been awarded funding to develop and obtain certification (FIBC) for it to go to market.

The bags currently used in industries such as construction, food processing, chemical, agriculture and many more are single use and made from material that takes 100 – 500 years to breakdown in landfill, creating toxic gases and acids.

With 40 -50 million of these being used every year in the UK alone and going to landfill sites it is a huge environmental problem.

There are also major safety issues with the current product. Accessing its contents can involve cutting the bag in mid-air, reaching in with hand tools and mechanical implements. These practices can cause injuries and deaths every year, impacting on productivity and waste.

The new alternative product has been developed by Dunoon-based former construction industry director Allister Wood. The fully patented sustainable 'Easy Empty Reusable Bag' (EEB) enables multiple use (15 times or more) and easy access. This means major environmental and safety advantages.

The HIE funding will also allow manufacturing of the product for market testing and launch.

Morag Goodfellow, HIE's area manager for Argyll and the Islands, said: "Innovation is the key driver behind business growth, which is why we were keen to support these types of initiatives.

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"The implications of Allister's Easy Empty Bag are huge. Not only could it dramatically reduce risks to personal safety across many industries, but it will make a significant contribution to those sectors' transition to net zero. It should also positively affect companies' insurance costs, reputation and downtime.

"We're delighted to see this product come forward and to able to provide innovation support to take the project to the next stage. We're really looking forward to see how it develops."

Allister Wood, developer of EEB, said: "I was sure there was a better way to transport produce than the current bulk bag in use, confronting the huge environmental problem and safety issues it creates today.

"Our new Easy Empty Reusable Bag, which will be attractive to many industries such as construction, pharmaceutical, food processing, agriculture, chemical, animal feed and mining to name a few, will be a game changer. It is already receiving very positive reaction from organisations both in the UK and abroad.

"We are presently testing the product for release and hope to launch this Autumn.

"A special thankyou to Adrian Green and all at Highlands and Islands Enterprise for their input and support."

Another Dunoon-based recipient of innovation funding through the HIE Shared Prosperity Fund is dive charter company Wreckspeditions.

Directors of the company are busy adopting new methods and ideas for products in their Holy Loch operations after taking part in a learning journey to the south of England. There they spent time with In Deep Dive Centre in Plymouth, one of the UK's leading dive centres that operates on a much larger scale.

The visit included boat-based tours, experience sharing of business operations on land and the technical and recreational diving currently offered and facilitated by In Deep Dive Centre.

As well as exploring different methods and products they also increased their knowledge in developing relationships across the wider UK diving community and in managing different tour types, reducing impact on the marine environment, and attracting new customers.

HIE's Morag Goodfellow said: "The directors of Wreckspeditions are now in a much better position to implement effective growth plans after looking at how operations are carried out in a similar, but much larger firm. They will be able to strengthen the company's future and the contribution it makes to the local economy and job creation. We're delighted to have been able to provide innovation support for the initiative and look forward to hearing how it has benefited the business."

Claire Hallybone director of Wreckspeditions said: "It is extremely important for us as a small business to continually increase our knowledge, innovate and to develop new products so we can continue to attract customers both old and new. Our goal has always been to grow the business and to the best at what we do, so the learning journey opportunity we were presented by HIE was a no brainer and had to be done. Without HIE's assistance it would have been very difficult to undertake a learning journey ourselves."