New recycling collections for Sutherland

The Highland Council is continuing its programme of improvements to waste and recycling collections across Highland with the roll out of the new bins and recycling collections coming to Sutherland in September.

Residents in Sutherland will receive a letter in the post over the next few weeks which will explain what is changing and when.

The letters will explain that green (or grey) bins will be used to recycle mixed plastic containers, metals and food and drink cartons. Blue bins will be used to recycle paper, card and cardboard only.  Each of the recycling bins will be collected every 4 weeks.

Details of how and when residents existing blue and green bins will be changed, will also be provided in the letters.

All households in the area will also be delivered a new 180 litre grey non-recyclable waste bin. All non-recyclable waste bin collections will remain on a fortnightly basis.

A detailed booklet will be delivered with the new bins explaining the changes and what to put in each bin.  A new collection calendar will also be provided with the details of the day the new collection service starts and which bin to put out.

Highland Council Business Waste Customers in Sutherland will start being contacted at the end of September about the new twin stream recycling collections for their business.

Councillor Graham Mackenzie, Chair of Communities and Place Committee, stated, “I am pleased to see that we are moving onto Phase 5 of the roll out of the new bins and recycling collections in Sutherland in September and that we have continued to stay on schedule”. 

He continued, “Residents are urged to look out for their letters and to keep a note of the important dates when the changes will be implemented”. 

“The Highland Council has made a commitment to reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste sent for disposal and increase the amount recycled - these changes will help make it easier for the public to recycle more, helping them to reduce their impact on the environment.”

“So far around 80,000 new non-recyclable waste bins have been delivered to households in Ross-shire, Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey.  The Waste Services Team have worked hard to ensure this significant program of change for Highland stays on track and that the new service is rolled out smoothly with minimum disruption to householders and our business waste customers.”

 He continued, “Separating the recyclable material collected at the kerbside into two bins is called twin stream recycling and will improve the quality and quantity of recycling, reduce the costs associated with waste disposal, which in turn will help to maintain other vital services”.

The Highland Council received £6.55 million in funding from the Scottish Government’s Recycling Improvement Fund to implement the changes to waste and recycling collections for communities across the region. 

The funding includes the provision of all new non-recyclable waste bins to householders along with facilitating the expansion of the food waste collection service to another 30,000 households in the more densely populated areas of Highland, further enhancing the recycling services provided by the Council.  Modifications to the Portree and Caithness Waste Transfer Stations to help support the changes to the recycling services is also included in the funding award from the Scottish Government. 

The Council has also approved capital investment in waste infrastructure with the construction of a new Waste Transfer Station in Fort William, along with a communications and engagement package to support residents with the changes to the recycling services.

The changes to waste and recycling collections are being implemented in a phased approach across the Highland region which started with Ross and Cromarty in April, Nairn in May with Inverness in May/June and Badenoch & Strathspey in August.   

Indicative dates for future phases are detailed below:

Caithness – October/November 2024

Skye & Lochalsh – February 2025

Lochaber – April/May 2025

Households are advised that the changes will be implemented according to the refuse and recycling  collection routes, therefore not all properties within a town/area will have their bins delivered at the same time.  More detailed information will be available for householders on the Councils website including the programme of bin deliveries.  www.highland.gov.uk/binchanges

Community Engagement Sessions will be held in Libraries, Leisure Centres, supermarkets and shops providing more information on the changes to waste and recycling collections. The Waste Awareness team will be on hand to answer any questions.

For more information and tips on how to reduce your waste please visit www.highland.gov.uk/recycle