Kerbside Recycling Off To A Good Start In Fort William

The kerbside collection of paper in Fort William has got off to a good start with 4.3 tonnes of paper collected in Caol on Monday, the heaviest amount for the first day collection from any route in the Highlands.

Area Vice Chairman of TEC Services with responsibility for waste, Councillor Brian Murphy was in Caol to watch the new Kerbsider vehicle collect the blue paper and can recycling boxes. He said: "The response from householders along the route has been very good and I am delighted that people are making use of this new service. It certainly makes it much easier for everyone to recycle paper and garden waste as it can now all be done from their own doorsteps."

A new vehicle has been purchased to allow collections from nearly 4500 households on a fortnightly basis. This week, homes will receive a collection of paper and the following week a collection of garden waste. Four new staff have been recruited to operate the service which covers the majority of households in the Fort William area.

This is Phase 2 of a new kerbside recycling service which will be rolled out to over 42,000 throughout the Highlands in the next couple of months. A pilot scheme which collects from 3500 homes in the Badenoch & Strathspey and Inverness areas has been operating successfully since the summer of 2003.

Area Convener, Councillor Olwyn MacDonald said: "This is a significant step forward for recycling in Lochaber. It is hoped that over 800 tonnes of paper and garden waste will be collected in the next twelve months and diverted from landfill sites."

As well as the kerbside recycling in Fort William, paper and can banks will be established at the Recycling Points throughout Lochaber in the next couple months. This will allow the majority of householders to have better access to paper and can recycling facilities.