Smaller waste bins and an extra recycling bin could be coming to homes across Highland as part of council plans.
In a bid to reduce waste to landfill, Highland Council is looking at a total overhaul of household waste services.
Key changes include reducing the capacity of the bins for non-recyclable waste. Currently the council provides a 240-litre bin to residents.
It has not released details about the size of any new waste bin.
Under Scottish law the council will also have to provide households with two recycling bins – one for paper and card, and a second for metal, plastic and cartons.
Aberdeenshire Council is introducing the same plan from next spring.
Lastly, it’s bidding for funds to expand the food caddy collection service beyond Inverness and into other areas of the Highlands.
Why make these changes?
Highland Council is ramping up its efforts to meet climate change targets. The council signed up to Scotland’s household recycling charter, which aims to ensure that waste is considered a resource and support the move to a circular economy.
To get things moving, it’s working with Zero Waste Scotland on a complete review of waste and recycling collection.
As well as changes to household collections, the council is taking other measures to boost recycling rates.
During the pandemic it introduced restrictions on small vans and trailers using recycling centres. The booking system will stay in place, but the council hopes to expand the times of day when vans and trailers can book a spot.
It’s also reviewing the opening times of all its centres.
Meanwhile, key Scottish Government projects are likely to reduce waste going to landfill. For instance, the council points to the Scottish deposit return scheme. This scheme puts a 20p charge on single-use drink containers, which customers get back when they return the bottle or can.
The scheme takes effect from next August, and aims to collect 90% of containers by 2025.
The council recently changed its brown bin day to minimise carbon emissions.
Highland Council’s waste strategy proposals are set out in a report for tomorrow’s meeting of the community and place committee.
The council is bidding into the national recycling improvement fund and hopes to use this to transform waste services. If successful, the changes will take effect from April 2024.
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