New recycling service roll-out approved pending successful RIF application

Households could see the introduction of a new recycling service across The Highland Council area if an application to the Scottish Government’s Improvement Fund is successful.

Chair of Communities and Place Committee, Cllr Graham MacKenzie 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. ”

Councillors on the Communities and Place Committee have approved the introduction of an additional wheeled bin to household recycling with a phased roll-out from April 2024.

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.

The Council’s application to the Recycling Improvement Fund includes the provision of replacement smaller general waste bins for all households.

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.

If the application is successful, the Council plans to expand the weekly food waste recycling service beyond Inverness to include households within accessible built-up areas across Ross and Cromarty, Nairn, and Fort William.

To implement these new service changes, modifications to and additional Transfer Station infrastructure will be required to support the new developments.  Councillors also noted the updated position on Waste Transfer Station infrastructure in Aviemore, Inverness and Fort William.

Inverness Waste Transfer Station is now complete and will be fully operational by April 2023. The new Aviemore facility began operating in January this year and officers are continuing to work on the land and planning requirements to secure a Waste Transfer Station for Fort William and a new lease for the Household Waste Recycling Centre at Ben Nevis Industrial Estate.