Housing groups may get items first

Charities and community groups could benefit from thousands of pieces of brand new furniture which were used at the Cop26 conference.

Items including Ikea desks, chairs, tables and armchairs will go to voluntary organisations.

However, it is unclear at this stage who will benefit or how long it will take – as a mechanism for distribution still has to be agreed between the UK government and Glasgow City Council.

One option could be for them to be uploaded to a website for groups to choose their preferred items.

Housing groups may get first dibs on the furniture.

Meanwhile, Event Cycle, a company that matches charities, community groups and social enterprises with leftover products to ensure they are reused, is already beginning to find matches.

About 15,000 sq metres of carpet used on the walkways and conference space is being cleaned ahead of being given to Govan-based Spruce Carpets, Scotland's only carpet re-use and recycling social enterprise.

The rolls of nearly new carpet will be given to families in need.

Some of the tools used to construct the massive Cop campus are being given to Men's Sheds in and around the city, while MDF sheets are being donated to Glasgow the Caring City, which plans on gifting them to schools and homeless families.

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."