Bin collection changes coming to Forfar and Kirriemuir within weeks

New blue bins are heading to households in Forfar and Kirriemuir for the next phase of the council’s kerbside recycling changes.

It is the second part of a roll-out which added a new bin for paper and cardboard only.

And glass is banned from household bins under the new scheme.

Instead, people are being asked to take bottles and jars to dozens of community bottle banks.

The controversial changes were delayed for months before being launched in Arbroath, Monifieth and Carnoustie in June.

Council waste chiefs hope the new set-up will save around £500,000-a-year.

A £33,000-a-year ‘waste tsar’ has been appointed to lead a clampdown on households which do not recycle.

They have been warned that general waste bins which contain too much recyclable material might not be emptied.

The council confirmed phase two will begin in October.

It will take in Kirriemuir, Forfar and the surrounding rural areas. That includes Newtyle, Tealing, Birkhill and Muirhead.

An exact date has not been confirmed. But households will get letters setting out the changes.

And deliveries of the new blue bins are due to start soon.

More than 65,000 have been bought with Scottish Government cash.

Those will be collected on alternate fortnights with the grey bin which is now to be used for plastic bottles and pots and food and drinks cans.

Food waste collections are also being extended to an extra 4,000 homes.

The final roll-out – Montrose and Brechin – is scheduled for spring 2025.

Monifieth bottle bank problems

Meanwhile, the council says bottle bank issues at Tesco in Monifieth have been sorted out.

Locals complained three bottle bins had been reduced to one – and it was removed earlier this week.

It’s led to piles of empties being left on the ground beside the overflowing bin.

But a spokesperson said: “The location of the glass recycling point at Tesco, Monifieth has been moved to another section of the carpark where the bins are easy to access.

“There was one bin during the transition that was not easy to move and was temporarily left in the previous location.

“All bins are now together in one location.”

The council added: “Since the roll-out of separate glass recycling, we have had a very good response from residents.

“We have introduced 79 sites where people can bring their glass, with locations for phase two areas being introduced soon.”