Inverness food waste collections have started
The new food waste collections which will enable householders in Inverness to recycle their food waste on a weekly basis have started this week in Dalneigh, Hilton and Kinmylies and have got off to a promising start. All types of food are collected including fruit and vegetables, bread, dairy products, fish and meat (including bones), bread, rice and pasta, eggshells, tea bags and coffee grinds. The food waste will be processed to produce a nutrient rich agricultural fertilizer.
Deliveries of the new food waste caddies are still on-going in the following areas Culloden, Smithton, Milton of Leys and Ness Bank. Householders will receive a 23 litre outdoor caddy, a 5 litre kitchen caddy, a supply of compostable liners and full instructions on how to us the new service. The collections for these areas will start week beginning 30th Sept.
By introducing food waste collections, Highland Council is meeting its obligations set by the Scottish Government under the Zero Waste (Scotland) Regulations which requires all local authorities to collect food waste separately from other household waste in ‘non-rural’ areas. Inverness is the only area in The Highlands affected and householders will benefit from the service which is clean and easy to use.
Inverness City Leader, Councillor Ian Brown said: “This new service is really easy and clean to use and with the weekly collections it will also be convenient for residents as well as making refuse bins less smelly. Food waste accounts for a staggering 30% of the waste in the average household bin, so by recycling this valuable resource we are reducing the amount of biodegradable waste being sent to landfill and in turn saving money in landfill tax and reducing methane gas, a powerful greenhouse gas.”
The introduction of the collections across the city is being staggered. Once people receive their caddies, there collection starts the following week. In 98% of cases, this will be on the same day of the week that their blue or green bin is collected. The Council’s waste team have been very impressed with the collections already made which have shown no contamination at all. They thank all householders for following the guidelines so well.
The service will be extended to flatted properties in the Inverness area later in the year. However, if you live a house in the Inverness area and have not received your caddies, liners and instruction booklet by Monday 30th Sept householders please call 01349 886603.
Further information about the service is available by contacting The Waste Awareness Team on 01349 886603 or emailing recycle@highland.gov.uk or by visiting www.highland.gov.uk/recycle.