A new weekly food waste recycling service for residents in the Wigtownshire area will launch at the end of the month. This heralds the introduction of a comprehensive new kerbside recycling service soon to launch across the region which will allow residents to recycle a range of materials, including paper, cardboard, glass, metals, plastic bottles and textiles.
Nearly 15,000 Wigtownshire residents will be provided with a kitchen caddy, a kerbside caddy and a supply of free biodegradable liners, as well as an information leaflet explaining the new service. The leaflet also informs residents on which day of the week they should put their kerbside caddy out for collection and how to request more caddy liners when they run out.
Some residents, such as those living in flatted properties or who use a shared communal collection point, may receive a shared outdoor wheeled bin for recycling their food waste.
The first food collections will begin on the week commencing Monday 25th August. The new food waste recycling service is easy to use, as well as being good for the environment. Common types of food waste which can be recycled include bones, fruit and vegetable cores and peelings as well as leftovers from meals. Even items of food waste such as egg shells and tea bags can be recycled. Unopened out of date food can also be unpackaged and recycled.
Cllr Colin Smyth, Chair of Economy, Environment and Infrastructure Committee said “The roll out of food waste collections to Wigtownshire is the beginning of the introduction of a comprehensive kerbside recycling service to residents across Dumfries and Galloway. This new service is required to help ensure that Dumfries and Galloway increases its recycling rate and meets the Scottish Government target of recycling 60% of all waste by 2020. It will take time for people to get used to what is a major change but I think most people understand that recycling is not only good for the environment, but they also know that similar schemes have been introduced in other parts of the country”.
For more information about the new kerbside recycling service – please visit the Council’s website at www.dumgal.gov.uk/kerbsiderecycling or phone 030 33 33 3000.
Individual councils decide, in close consultation with residents, on the best recycling services for their local area. Zero Waste Scotland stands ready and able to support all Scottish councils with their efforts to reduce waste and increase recycling, by providing technical support where appropriate.
Food waste that is collected as part of this new service will be treated at a special processing plant, called an anaerobic digester, where it is turned into valuable resources including an agricultural fertiliser product and can also be used to generate energy.
