AROUND 40 council-owned buildings in Caerphilly are to work towards Green Flag status as part of a eco-friendly project.

Blackwood Miners Institute, Cwmcarn Forest Drive and libraries and leisure centres across the borough are among the buildings set to become eco centres under Caerphilly council’s new programme.

The authority has adopted environmental organisation Encams’ Eco Centres scheme, which is a sister programme to the Eco Schools project under which schools work towards a Green Flag.

The programme aims to get staff involved in reducing their workplace’s carbon footprint, through setting up an eco committee, creating an action plan to set targets, monitoring their progress towards targets, promoting sustainable development to visitors and other staff and holding events to encourage people to be green.

They will address issues including litter and waste management, energy and water usage and transport in a bid to achieve Green Flag status.

Over the next 18 months, the council will monitor their progress, provide support to centres taking part and establish a support network through which centres can exchange ideas.

If successful, the programme will lower the council’s energy bills, reduce carbon emissions, cut down on waste being sent to landfill and reduce transport costs.

The programme will be discussed by the authority’s sustainable development advisory panel on April 14.