An initiative to recycle waste candle wax for repurposing into pinecone firelighters has been set up by a local beauty entrepreneur.

The project encourages locals to dispose of waste candle wax at a recycling point set up at Foxy's Deli and Café on Windsor Road.

Rosie Oretti, 59, a retired medic and director of Grounds For Good, set up the business during lockdown and corresponds with Rosie's passion for sustainability and her love of coffee.

"I started researching what could be done with used coffee grounds and discovered there were so many different things," said Rosie. "So, I thought, 'why not make a business of it and demonstrate to people what you can do with waste coffee?' That's where it all began."

Rosie launched a selection of coffee firelighters in 2021, designing a natural firelighter with pinecones and setting them into wax with some string to use on a log fire.

The firelighters are then suspended in the wax and you can get different scented ones.

"We didn't want to use virgin wax as that seemed a bit counter-intuitive given that firelighters are supposed to be eco-friendly," said Rosie.

"I started to collect waste wax, the bits that people leave in candles that you'll particularly find in cheaper candles that leave a ream of wax that ends up in landfill."

Rosie's partnership with Foxy's in Penarth was a natural fit. The deli and café stocks Grounds For Good's own branded gin and it was the first place in town where Rosie collected coffee grounds from after setting up her business.

"I wanted to use a place in Penarth that's known to be eco-friendly," said Rosie. "It just made absolute sense. I asked Sian Fox [the owner] whether she would be willing to have waste candle wax dispensed by customers in the recycling box already there, and we then collect it to turn into firelighters."

Rosie hopes that the initiative will be an ongoing fixture in Penarth. "Setting up the collection point at Foxy's is key because it's a central place in town to get to. It's a wonderful way for people to know they're getting rid of their candle wax in a sustainable way."

Find out more about Grounds For Good here.