Brown bin service stops for winter

With the onset of winter, householders are reminded that The Highland Council garden waste collections will cease for a period of 3 months from the beginning of December.   

There will be no brown bin collections in December 2016, January or February 2017. The final collection day of 2016 will be Friday 2 December and collections will begin again on Monday 27 February 2017. 

Chair of The Highland Council’s Community Services Committee, Councillor Allan Henderson said:

“The material collected in the brown bins makes a large contribution to the Council’s recycling rate which is 44% for 2015/16. The garden waste collected by the Council is used as a soil conditioner by farmers within the Moray Firth area and I would like to thank householders for the great job they’ve done in using their brown bins for recycling this past year, it really does make a difference.” 

He added: “All compostable material collected by the Council must meet a specific quality standard to ensure it’s suitable for use. Recent changes to the standard mean that testing for items such as stones and plastic has become more stringent so it is important that we avoid contamination of this kind. Householders are reminded not to use their brown bin for general waste over winter as in previous years there have been contamination issues with the first bins lifted in the following March.” 

Home composting is another option householders might like to consider to deal with their garden waste and is an inexpensive, natural process that transforms kitchen and garden waste into a valuable and nutrient rich food for gardens. Composting fruit and vegetable peelings, teabags and coffee grinds can significantly reduce the amount of rubbish put in refuse bins. For information on how to compost at home visit www.recycleforscotland.com
  
Over the winter period, householders with garden material to dispose of are encouraged make use of the garden waste skip at their local Recycling Centre. Visit www.highland.gov.uk/recycle to check availability or phone 01349 886603. 

For more information on the garden waste collection service, and to view collection dates or download a calendar go to www.highland.gov.uk/recycle