England could go back to one wheelie bin – so why does Angus now need four?

Angus Council's waste boss explains the reasoning behind a new bin for paper and card being added as part of kerbside recycling changes which began in some towns on Monday.

By Graham Brown

June 17 2024, 12:30pm

New blue bins for paper and card being rolled out to houses in Monifieth. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson

A “common sense” English approach of a single wheelie bin for kerbside recycling will not be coming to Angus.

As a new scheme rolled into action on Monday, Angus Council’s waste chief said the area will stick with Scottish Government policy to improve recycling rates.

And Graeme Dailly raised doubts councils south of the border would actually go back to a single bin.

Government officials in England gave the green light for the recycling u-turn last month.

Angus kerbside recycling changes — Blue bins will be collected once a month under the Angus changes. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson

Recycling Minister Robbie Moore announced a new approach to “put an end to confusing recycling and excessive bins”.

DEFRA said there was a “confusing patchwork of different approaches across England.”

Councils will be allowed to collect plastic, metal, glass, paper and card in one bin in all circumstances. Food and garden waste will also be co-collected.

New kerbside collections begin in parts of Angus

It contrasts with the Angus set-up, where a fourth wheelie bin – for paper and cardboard – has been added.

The first collections in the new programme are taking place this week.

Last week, environment and infrastructure director Mr Dailly set out the rationale for the Angus changes.

The first phase of the new scheme is getting underway in Arbroath, Monifieth and Carnoustie.

And he said the local approach was in line with Scottish Government policy. Holyrood is financing the £3 million changes through its Recycling Improvement Fund.

66,000 new blue bins have been bought for Angus in the £3m recycling investment programme. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson

Mr Dailly said: “The Scottish Government policy remains unchanged and there’s a charter nearly all local authorities have signed up to.

“The commitment there is that we will separate glass from other materials in particular.

“The benefit is that it reduces the risk of contamination of other (recyclable) materials.

“The reasoning is also the financial justification. You need to pay extra when you put all the materials in one single bin because there’s more sorting to be done.”

The Angus changes aim to save £500,000 a year.

And the top official doubts whether council counterparts south of the border will rush back to a single-bin approach.

“There are many (English) authorities who collect their waste in a similar way,” he said.

Recycling changes introduced in Angus. — Stickers are going on wheelie bins to let Angus residents know what goes where. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson

“So whether it’s an aspiration, I would suggest if the business case and the financial rationale is not there for them to change I find it unlikely there will be a quick transition.

“But purely from Angus’s perspective the landscape hasn’t changed, the Scottish Government policy is very much the same as it was.”

What does the Scottish Government say?

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We want to create a circular economy, in which resources are kept in use for as long as possible.

“While the provision of waste and recycling services is the responsibility of individual local authorities, the Circular Economy Bill and Circular Economy and Waste Route Map set out further measures to significantly increase reuse and recycling rates by improving and modernising local recycling.

“This will see us working with local authorities and households to design a new code of practice for recycling – including considering the best approach for separating different materials to increase recycling – to support more consistent and easy to use services across Scotland.”