In total, £250,000 was awarded to projects which range from a paint recycling scheme in Edinburgh to a bicycle recycling, repair and reuse project in Perth under the initiative, which can fund up to 50% of the project costs for community reuse organisations.

Zero Waste Scotland, which administers the scheme on behalf of the Scottish Government, claimed that, as a result of the funding, many of the organisations would be able to fund additional jobs and training, as well as creating volunteering opportunities.

And, the body's director, Ian Gulland, claimed the money would "extend" Scotland's reuse infrastructure and make it easier for people to reuse and recycle household goods.

He added: "It's important that recycling services support the reuse of a wide variety of household goods. These exciting projects happening across Scotland demonstrate the commitment and enthusiasm for the provision of accessible reuse facilities for lots of materials. Reusing items should be the norm."

The full list of projects to benefit from the latest funding round - and the amount of money there each is receiving - are:

• Kibbleworks, Paisley - receiving £33,600 in order to provide a recycling hub for Renfrewshire with more collection and drop-off points and household starter packs for those in need;
• Social Enterprise Clydebank, Clydebank - receiving £57,000 in order to provide bulk uplifts for housing associations, retail shops and re-use furniture packs;
• ReUseIt CIC, Barrhead - receiving £40,000 in order to provide uplift services for individuals, housing associations and local businesses across South Glasgow;
• Cunninghame Housing Association, Ardrossan - receiving over £85,000 in order to establish a new furniture and white goods reuse service across Ayrshire;
• Fresh Start, Edinburgh - receiving over £15,000 in order to provide a collection service from community recycling centres across the Lothians for water based paints and reprocessing through Repaint Scotland;
• The Bike Station, Perth - receiving £25,000 in order to establish a new bicycle recycling, repair and reuse project in Perth.

All the projects receiving money under the three-year ‘INCREASE III' must be fully operational by March 31 2011.

Minister

The funding announcement won the support of Scottish environment minister Richard Lochhead, who said community projects had a "vital role" to play in making reuse a "habit".

"They can join up the infrastructure needed to collect and restore items with customers who want to need low cost alternatives - often people on low incomes or resettling out of homelessness. These Increase Reuse grants will help ensure there are reuse services right across Scotland where people need them," he added.