Eye-Catching Lorries Promote Recycling Message

Eagle-eyed motorists may have noticed the highly decorative large recycling lorries which have been busy collecting glass from recycling banks all over the Highlands and reminding people to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

The two specialised lorries, operated by Viridor Glass Recycling on behalf of the Highland Council, have already collected over 4,260 Tonnes of green, brown and clear glass from bottle banks and recycling centres in Highland in the last year.  The glass is transported to Bonnyrigg just south of Edinburgh where it is graded. It is then used in the production of fibreglass for insulation at a plant in Perth or crushed and cleaned and made into new bottles and jars at a facility Alloa.

On average, every family in the UK consumes around 500 glass bottles and jars every year. 

Chairman of The Highland Council’s TEC Services Committee, Councillor John Laing said:  “Glass put into the bin will go to one of our landfill sites where it will never rot down.  This is such a waste as glass is a material which can be recycled without any loss of quality again and again.

“The energy saved from recycling one glass bottle will power a 100-watt light bulb for an hour, or power a computer for 25 minutes whilst recycling two bottles saves enough energy to boil water for five cups of tea.”
“I am sure householders across the Highlands will be keeping the lorry drivers busy. It is certainly hard to miss the colourful lorry livery which reminds us all to do our bit. Taking part in recycling the waste we produce makes us all think about the effect we are having on our environment.”