The contentious arrival of grey bins in Perth and Kinross has helped the council to dramatically clean up its act.
The recycling contamination rate in the old blue bins has been slashed to just 3% since the new fourth bin was introduced last autumn.
Previously it was running at around 18%
And as recently as March 2021, it hit 28.1%, meaning the council was landed with a six-figure penalty.
A council spokesman has thanked residents, saying they and the grey-lidded bins have had “a huge impact”.
It comes after the programme got off to a rocky start.
Critics said they didn’t have room for a fourth bin.
Some complained about the rollout.
And others accused the council of mixed messaging about what was and wasn’t permitted in the grey bin.
Numbers add up for grey bins
The new bins were part of a £2.72 million shake-up in council collections.
Until last autumn, Perth and Kinross residents chucked all of their dry mixed recycling in the blue-lidded bin.
But that increased the likelihood of contamination from non-recyclable items and food waste.
A Stick to the Six campaign helped to bring the contamination rate below 20% – the threshold for penalties.
But the real breakthrough has been the introduction of a new grey bin for plastics, cans and cartons.
They take recyclable waste which previously went in the blue-lidded bin.
But they also mean the council can accept items which were not previously recyclable, such as soft plastics and foil.
And the latest contamination levels for the blue bin – now solely for paper and cardboard – have shrunk to just 3%
‘Residents’ commitment makes real difference’
Councillor Richard Watters, convener of Perth and Kinross Council’s climate change and sustainability committee, said the community could be proud of the turnaround.
“The fact contamination levels have now dropped to such a low level shows what a huge impact the introduction of the new grey bin has had,” he said.
“By keeping the paper and card separate from the other recycling we have a product that is much cleaner and more valuable.
“However, that is down to our residents understanding the need to recycle and taking the time to properly sort their waste.
“Their commitment makes a real difference, and I am incredibly proud of our community’s progress.”
Conversation