COP26 furniture to sit in car park tents 'for months'
- Published
Staff start removing the 6,000 items of furniture donated by Ikea to the UN climate change summit
Thousands of items of brand new furniture used inside COP26 venues are being stored inside tents outside Glasgow, and they could be there for months, BBC Scotland understands.
Ikea said it had gifted 6,000 items for delegates to use inside the blue zone as part of a sponsorship agreement for the United Nations climate talks.
The company agreed to store the furniture after COP26 ended.
But it could take months to get the homewares to people who need them.
The UK government and Glasgow City Council have to work out a plan for donating the items including desks, chairs, tables and armchairs to local housing projects and charities.
Ross Galbraith from Glasgow the Caring City is re-distributing many of the items to schools, community groups, men's sheds and art groups
It is understood the furniture could be uploaded to a website for housing groups to choose their preferred items. The local authority warned it could take months before the donations arrive in the hands of those in need.
BBC Scotland understands the huge volume of Ikea products will be housed in two large marquees in the car park of their store near Braehead shopping complex in Renfrewshire until they are distributed.
The Cabinet Office insisted it was committed to donating furniture to local housing. But it was unable to provide detail on distribution arrangements.
All the COP26 furniture displayed a tag explaining how it would be re-used after the conference
Two huge marquee tents at the Ikea store near Braehead are housing the furniture until it finds its new home
Colin Edgar, communications director for Glasgow City Council said: "We don't think this is going to be a quick process. It is going to take at least months to do this. That is why it is so important that Ikea is able to store this stuff safely as we don't want to see it damaged by the weather.
"I think it'll take months to get it distributed. We are beginning the process of cataloguing, photographing it and uploading it in the coming weeks."
The majority of the items used on the COP26 site were rented and have now been returned to warehouses to be used for future events.
'15,000 sq m of carpet'
Huge quantities of other leftover products are already being recycled with the help of the organisation Event Cycle.
It is matching products with charities, community groups and social enterprises in and around Glasgow to ensure they have a longer life.
About 15,000 sq metres of carpet used on the walkways and conference space is currently being cleaned ahead of being given to a charity in Govan.
Spruce Carpets says it is Scotland's only carpet re-use and recycling social enterprise.
The rolls of nearly new carpet will be given to families in need.
The huge blue zone area was filled with Ikea furniture which was intended to be reused
Some of the items will be donated to primary schools around the city
Wooden staging and sets used as information panels and workshop areas inside the OVO Hydro during the event have been derigged.
Some of the tools are being given to "Men's Sheds" in and around the city.
The MDF wooden sheets are being donated to Glasgow the Caring City, which plans on gifting them to schools and homeless families.
Ross Galbraith, from the charity, told BBC Scotland: "We are looking to maximise the community benefit from all the fixtures and fittings from all the COP26 venues - not only the blue zone but all the satellite venues around the city.
Display cabinets will be used as PPE and sanitising stations
"There will be a range of benefactors from families who are homeless and moving in to homes, schools, community organisations and art groups.
"We have fantastic display cabinets that are going to be used as PPE stations and basic items of furniture which will help families.
"On Wednesday, we know that from the COP26 blue zone we have 90 sheets of MDF and 90 sheets of plywood which equates to about £25,000 worth of value. That will save community organisations in the city purchasing that.
"It allows groups to carry out their projects without having to dig in to their own pockets."
A COP26 spokesman said: "We are committed to ensuring COP26 has a positive impact on the host city, the UK and wider global events industry.
"That's why we are working with our suppliers to ensure that products and materials not returned to rental stock are turned into donations, including donating furniture to local housing projects."
'Second life'
An Ikea UK and Ireland spokeswoman said: "With COP now behind us, our focus is on rehoming the approximately 6,000 items of furniture and home furnishing accessories used, donating the items to community groups and third sector organisations within Glasgow and the wider region to make sure they have a second life.
"Ensuring that these donations are both meaningful and responsibly managed is our priority. Whilst the logistics of building, arranging, transporting, storing and donating at this scale are complex, together with Her Majesty's Government and Glasgow City Council, we are determined that our presence at COP will benefit those most in need, for the long term."
- Published12 November 2021
