Focus on Highland recycling centres during national Recycle Week

This week is national Recycle Week which gives us all the perfect opportunity to think how we can do a little bit more to reduce our waste and ‘Recycle for Highland’!  This year The Highland Council’s focus for Recycle Week is Recycling Centres and reducing the amount of waste that householders landfill at the sites. 

Recycling Centres are a very handy way for residents to get rid of unwanted items, whether it’s clearing out the kids bedroom, tidying up the garden or overflow from your recycling bin but the Council is reminding people to separate items before visiting the site so as much as possible can be recycled.  Site Operatives and Waste Aware staff are on hand to help you recycle and will check bags of unsorted waste so do try to load your recyclables into your car separately to make it easier for yourself as well as to ease traffic at the site. 

The majority of household items can be recycled at the Recycling Centres across the region. All clean clothing, blankets, bedding (excluding pillows and duvets) and paired shoes should be bagged up and placed in textile banks.  Even textiles with holes can be recycled as they will be used as industrial rags.   White goods (fridges, freezers, washing machines and cookers) may be checked over for refurbishment and reuse but be aware that any other electrical items taken here will merely be broken up for recycling. If you have good quality working items try to find a new home for them. 

People are asked to separate out other items such as recyclable timber and scrap metal, cardboard, paper and garden waste. Other facilities widely available at Recycling Centres include glass bottles and jars, fluorescent tubes, energy saving light bulbs, engine oil and filters, batteries (both automotive and domestic), tyres, re-fillable gas cylinders, plastic bottles, food tins and drink cans.  Most sites also have areas where unwanted household items such as sofas and tables can be donated to charity for re-use. 

The Highland Council is especially keen to get your glass bottles and jars. With over 200 glass Recycling Points in Highland, many of them situated in the main shopping centres, people are being encouraged to make full use of them..

Councillor Graham Mackenzie, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Community Services said: “Over the last 3 years, there has been a significant rise in waste disposed of to landfill from the Recycling Centres across Highland.  In 2012/13 the total was 14,543 tonnes which cost the Council £1.9M.   Tackling the rise in waste sent to landfill from these sites will make a big difference so please takes a few minutes to separate your items before going to your local Recycling Centre.  

“The Highland Council’s current recycling rate is 45.5% which shows that people in Highland are trying really hard to recycle and the Council would like to take this opportunity to thank householders for their efforts.” 

For more information about recycling please visit: www.highland.gov.uk/recycle, email recycle@highland.gov.uk or call 01349 886603.