Seven government funded bodies that promote green businesses, organisations and homes will be merged, following an announcement by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

The National Industrial Symbiosis Programme, Envirowise, The Centre for Remanufacturing and Reuse, the Construction Resources and Waste Platform, Action Sustainability and the Business Resource Efficiency and Waste centre for local authorities will be merged into the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).

Defra say that the aim is to create a single point of contact for people and organisations who want help to use resources more efficiently.

The merger follows a review of Defra’s work which reported in February last year. It is part of the cross-Government Business Support Simplification Programme, which plans to reduce the number of publicly funded business support schemes from government from over 3,000 to less than 100 by 2010.

Secretary of State for the Environment, Hilary Benn said that all seven organisations that Defra had funded had done a good job but added: “We know that some customers were confused by the myriad of services and bodies. Now, under WRAP leadership we will provide a one stop shop for resource efficiency advice, and this should make it quicker and easier for people to get what they need.”