Wheelie? Highland Council hopes to roll out a third household bin across the region

Households in the Highlands will need to put another bin day in the diary if a council application to fund a third plastic bin is approved.

Highland Council said councillors have approved a new kerbside recycling scheme with a paper and card bin, a soft plastics and metal bin and a general waste bin, but only if it can get new funding.

An application has been made by the council, to the Scottish Government’s Improvement Fund.

And if successful the bins will be rolled out, literally, as it will be a wheelie bin, from April 2024.

What waste will the bins take?

There will be three bins: the existing blue and green bin, but with different uses, and a general – smaller – waste bin.

• The existing green general waste bin will be converted to collect mixed containers, plastic bottles, pots, tubs, trays, cans, tins, foil, cartons, and potentially soft plastics.
• The existing blue bin currently used for mixed recycling will be converted to collect paper and card.
• A new household waste bin in one of two sizes 140litre or 180litre.

Households in receipt of the weekly food waste recycling service will be provided with a new 140 litre general waste bin – while all other households will be provided with a new 180 litre general waste bin.

General waste wheelie bins are currently 240litres.

If the application to the fund is successful, the council plans to expand the weekly food waste recycling service beyond Inverness.

It will include households within accessible built-up areas across Ross and Cromarty, Nairn, and Fort William.

Graham MacKenzie, chairman of the council’s communities and place committee, said: “The proposed roll out of new service changes will help enable to the council to meet its recycling commitments.

“The application to the Recycling Improvement Fund is truly an outstanding piece of work which covers all the bases required.

“I thank the waste team for their efforts and hope that the council’s application is successful. Informing the public on any changes to futures services will be a key factor in the roll-out of the service.”