Fifers have been urged to recycle right over the festive season to avoid a repeat of unsavoury scenes seen in previous years.
With people generating more rubbish at Christmas than at any other time of year, Fife Council is anticipating a busy few weeks over Christmas and New Year at its 11 household waste recycling centres .
When the centres close on December 25 and 26 and January 1 and 2, however, the focus switches to the region’s 271 designated recycling points – many of which have been misused in recent years.
List of dumping hotspots
With that in mind, the council has drawn up a list of 43 of the busiest recycling points where waste is often left outside of bins and where illegal dumping occurs, ranging from Tesco at Duloch in Dunfermline, which traditionally sees mountains of rubbish built up between Christmas and New Year, to Doubledykes Road car park in St Andrews, where concerns are also raised locally.
Council employees will aim to visit busier recycling points to provide advice to residents, report and investigate any illegal dumping and, if required, arrange for bins to be emptied.
SNP councillor Ross Vettraino, convenor of the environment, protective services and community safety committee, said: “Christmas is a busy time and we all know that it can be hard to find time to carry out certain tasks.
“Fifers must remember that everyone responsible for their own waste and should dispose of their rubbish responsibly, either in their kerbside bins or at a recycling point or centre.
“Please help local communities by recycling responsibly.
“Only plastic packaging, drinks/food cans, paper/cardboard (where bins are available) and glass jars and bottles can be disposed of at recycling points.
“If your local recycling point is full, please take your recycling to your next nearest point or store it in your car or at home until the bins are emptied.
“Please don’t leave any recycling on the ground as this means council employees can’t access recycling bins without manually moving all the material.
“Unfortunately, an issue, particularly at this time of year, is the misuse of recycling centres and points.
“Previously, there has been illegal dumping at the gates of recycling centres after the second day of public holiday festive closures.
“In addition to taking action to ensure that the sites are kept clear, the council will adopt a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to any such illegal activity and will take steps to identify those doing so.”
How to recycle
Due to social distancing requirements, an online booking system is still in place for Fife’s recycling centres and people have been urged to plan ahead by booking at www.fife.gov.uk/recyclingcentres.
Sandy Anderson, Fife Council’s waste operations service manager, said people can make best use of their kerbside recycling bins by squashing plastic bottles and food and drinks cans and flattening cardboard.
And he added: “If you normally visit your local recycling centre over the festive period please book your slot in advance and try to bring everything you need to recycle in one trip.
“If you’ve booked a slot, but can’t make it, please ensure you cancel your appointment.
“Cancelling your slot is quick and easy using the link on your confirmation email. This allows others to make use of local recycling centres.”
Although recycling points and recycling centres are extremely busy during December, waste or recycling must not be left outwith the bins, as this can lead to fines of £200.
Fines for fly-tipping start at £200, but can increase to £40,000.
Festive ‘hotspot’ recycling points
Tesco Duloch, Dunfermline
Asda, Glenrothes
Asda Halbeath, Dunfermline
Glamis Centre, Glenrothes
Abbeyview Community Centre, Dunfermline
Warout Road, Glenrothes
Aldi/Iceland car park, Dunfermline
Skibo Court, Glenrothes
Tesco Winterthur, Dunfermline
Alexander Road, Glenrothes
Tweeddale Drive, Dunfermline
Gilvenbank (Huntsmans Rd), Glenrothes
Sherbrooke Road, Rosyth
Low Road, Auchtermuchty
Moray Way (Pentland Rise), Dalgety Bay
Burnside, Auchtermuchty
Regents Way (Tesco), Dalgety Bay
Lomond Road, Freuchie
Hill Road (Navitie Park), Ballingry
Co-op, Cupar
Blairadam Park, Kelty
Tesco, Cupar
Community Centre, Oakley
Tom Morris Drive, St Andrews
Foulford Road, Cowdenbeath
Double Dykes Road car park, St Andrews
Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy
Bankie Park, Anstruther
Asda, Kirkcaldy
Co-op, Anstruther
Victoria Road car park, Kirkcaldy
March Crescent, Cellardyke
Nicol Street car park, Kirkcaldy
The Harbour, Tayport
Cleish Gardens, Kirkcaldy
The Common, Tayport
Katherine Street, Kirkcaldy
Queen Street, Tayport
Dunvegan Avenue, Kirkcaldy
Waterstone Crook, Newport on Tay
Links car park, Burntisland
Cupar Road, Newburgh
Abernethy Road, Newburgh
