THE rollout of a new recycling bin in Aberdeenshire has led to less waste, cleaner recycling, and ‘significant’ cost savings, the region’s council has revealed.
The orange-lid bins took a year to rollout from April 2023 until April 2024 and are used for metal tins, cans aerosols and foil, food and drink cartons, plastic bottles, pots, tubs, and trays.
Meanwhile, the existing blue-lid recycling bin is for paper, card, and cardboard, whilst the black refuse bin remains for non-recyclable waste only.
Aberdeenshire Council said that the rollout of the orange lid bin is generating an annual saving of around £2 million per year due to the cleaner recycling from the separated bins and the reduction in residual waste.
Further to this, the quality of paper, card, and cardboard recycling – which makes up approximately 70% of Aberdeenshire’s overall kerbside recycling – has improved ‘dramatically’ and is consistently below 3% contamination.
The overall recycling rate is also up by 2.8%, increasing from 40.2% in 2022 to 43% in 2023 – with a further increase expected from 2023 to 2024. Residual waste (black lid bin and recycling centres) being collected and disposed of has decreased by 1,031 tonnes from 2022 to 2023 and a further 1,861 tonnes from 2023 to 2024.
Aberdeenshire Council welcomed £3.5 million in total funding from Zero Waste Scotland’s Recycling Improvement Fund to progress the bin collection changes in alignment with Scotland’s Charter for Household Recycling. The charter pledges to maximise the capture and quality of recycling as well as reduce the capacity for waste that cannot be recycled.
Chair of Aberdeenshire Council‘s infrastructure services committee (ISC), councillor Alan Turner, said, “Less waste, cleaner recycling, significant cost savings, and a lighter carbon footprint. This is a testament to the hard work of our teams and, crucially, the fantastic participation of Aberdeenshire residents.
“While the data has shown the significant benefits of the rollout, there is more that can be done. This is particularly true of food waste, which still appears in large percentages inside our black lid bins and could be put to much better use than incineration. We urge everyone to continue their brilliant efforts and help us build on this fantastic momentum.”
Stuart Murray, head of resource management at Zero Waste Scotland, added, “We are delighted to see the impact the Recycling Improvement Fund has had on Aberdeenshire’s waste and recycling service.
“Aberdeenshire Council is one of several councils that benefitted from the Recycling Improvement Fund, which is making a real difference to recycling services and infrastructure across Scotland. These improvements will support Scotland’s journey to a circular economy and help protect our environment for generations to come.”
