Councillor praises public over new bin collections

Four weeks after the introduction of the largest phase of The Highland Council’s new refuse and recycling collections, out-going Chairman of the TEC Services Committee, Councillor John Laing, has praised the Highland people for the success of the new service.

The changes have seen the introduction of a fortnightly kerbside collection of mixed recyclables – paper, cardboard, food tins, drink cans and plastic bottles – alternating with a fortnightly refuse collection.

The introduction, at the beginning of April, of the new service to the Inverness area and parts of Wester Ross marks the penultimate phase of the programme with only Sutherland remaining to make the change at the beginning of July.

Already in the year up until the latest roll-out, the overall recycling rate in The Highland Council area has increased from around 34% to 39%. The total tonnage of recyclate collected increased by 5500 tonnes and waste to landfill reduced from 102,000 to 90,000 tonnes. During this period the new service was introduced to Skye and Lochalsh, Lochaber, Caithness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey and Ross and Cromarty on a rolling programme.

The changes have also seen the introduction of recycling collections to The Highland Council’s commercial customers  and an obligation to recycle become a condition of their contracts.

Councillor Laing said: “I feel privileged to have chaired the TEC services committee during the introduction of these changes which are so important to us meeting our environmental obligations to reduce waste. The commitment shown throughout the Highlands to making this work in fact has not really surprised me but I would like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you.”

The Highland Council’s Waste Awareness Team can offer advice on reducing waste and increasing recycling to both householders and its businesses customers and can be contacted on 01349 886603.