Bin changes in Angus are facing a public backlash after eight out of ten people said they want to still be able to recycle glass at home.
From March, a roll-out will begin which will add another bin – for paper and cardboard – to the kerbside line-up.
But folk will no longer be able to put glass in their recycling bin.
Instead, the council plans to increase the number of local recycling points from 20 to nearly 200 for residents to dump bottles and jars.
Half of those who responded to a public consultation on the controversial plan said they were against the idea.
Leaked briefing paper
Councillors were recently given the public feedback in a briefing paper seen by The Courier.
The new scheme is due to start within weeks in Arbroath, Carnoustie and Monifieth.
And the survey showed a majority in favour of Angus becoming the first council in Scotland to leave general waste bins uncollected at the kerbside if they are regularly found to have too much recyclable material in them.
But service bosses are already admitting they won’t leave purple bins unemptied if they have glass in them.
What are the key changes and why are they needed?
The council’s waste service needs to make a £500,000 annual saving.
If changes are not made the council will lose millions of pounds of funding and fail to comply with the Scottish Government’s recycling charter.
The new scheme will see:
- New blue bin for paper and cardboard only
- Alternate fortnightly collections for blue and grey (cans and plastic) bins
- Food waste service extended to 3,900 extra homes
- Glass recycling points increased from 23 to around 190
Angus residents want to keep glass bins
Angus Council carried out a public survey between November 14 and December 11.
2,464 responses were received.
The briefing to councillors revealed:
- 50% of respondents disagreed with bringing their glass to a recycling point, 43% agreed, 7% neither agreed nor disagreed
- 82% agreed with having two recycling bins where glass continued to be collected at the kerbside
- 43% agreed with having two recycling bins and bringing their glass to a recycling point
- 51% agreed non-recyclable waste bins containing too many recyclable items should be tagged and left uncollected
The briefing paper says other Scottish councils, including neighbours Dundee, Perth and Kinross, and Aberdeenshire have rolled out, or are adopting similar schemes.
It added: “Bins left on street only an issue in minority of locations and we will intervene and engage with households and landlords where this is a problem.”
And waste chiefs say they will “encourage family and friends to assist those less able.”
“If no other option, resident will be advised they can put (glass) in their purple bin.
“Purple bins won’t be left because of glass in the bin.”
When are the changes happening?
The new system will be rolled out in three phases this year.
March – Arbroath, Carnoustie and Monifieth
June – Montrose and Brechin
September – Forfar, Kirriemuir and Sidlaw area
Conversation