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‘It’s a game changer’: Extra bin for Angus ‘super-recyclers’ to boost council bid to be best in Scotland

Angus ‘super-recyclers’ are to get an extra bin for free to help the council hit the top of the Scottish league.

The area currently sits second in the table of the nation’s 32 local authorities for recycling performance.

In 2019, Angus recycled 59.1% of the 52,541 tonnes of household waste generated by its residents.

The full year Scottish Environment Protection Agency statistics showed only East Renfrewshire ahead of Angus with a performance of 67.8%.

The Scottish average was 44.9%.

Just 5.1% of Angus household waste – 2,702 tonnes – went to landfill. The City of Edinburgh was the only authority to better the statistics, with 4.5% of its waste being dumped in the ground.

On average, councils sent 31.3% of waste to landfill in 2019.

New policy

Until now, Angus residents had to meet specific criterion to be given extra bins.

It included having five or more permanent residents in the household.

The policy shift will mean an extra recycling bin or food waste bin will be given out on request.

Waste services chief Graeme Dailly said his department is not expecting a flood of additional requests, but hopes it will help recycling performance.

He said: “Households will still be asked to squash and compact their recycling as far as  reasonably possible before placing in the bin to reduce the demand for additional bins.

“Oversized cardboard boxes should be taken to the nearest recycling centre – all seven recycling centres in Angus have separate cardboard recycling containers.

A redesign of Angus skip sites has helped push up recycling rates. Pic: Paul Reid.

“The demand for additional recycling bins is expected to be relatively low, and should  be offset by reduced disposal costs if more waste is recycled rather than sent for disposal.”

Game changer

Angus communities convener Mark Salmond believes the extra bin option could be a “game changer” in the area’s push to bag top spot.

He said: “I have been working with officers for many months to encourage the option of an additional grey recycling bin being made available.

“This will help households who are super recyclers and need additional capacity to maximise their recyclate.

“It is as a game changer in how this council supports households in their kerbside recycling.

“This will mean less vehicle journeys to our recycling centres, which can only mean less car journeys overall and reduced C02 emissions.”

Ambition

Mr Samond, the council’s finance spokesman, added: “With COP26 in Glasgow later this year, Angus Council is sending out a signal that recycling is more important than ever.

Angus is already the second best recycling council in Scotland and this change will go a long way to move us to towards being number one.

“That is an ambition we should all be aiming for.”

He added: “While this council provides the mechanics to allow our citizens to recycle, it’s all down to Angus residents for embracing and accepting the need to recycle.

“I’d therefore say a massive thank you to residents who recycle day in day out and have helped us to where we already are.

“Let’s hope we can get to number one.”