Councillors take on board views on waste

AN extensive consultation seeking views on measures proposed to boost Aberdeenshire's recycling rate and send less to landfill has closed.

It ran throughout September, gathering more than 2500 responses and the views shared will influence changes to recycling and waste services in the region.

Residents gave their views on a proposed package of measures including reducing the size of non-recyclable bins, increasing each household's recycling capacity, altering the collection cycle and improving the network of Household Waste Recycling Centres.

Responses will feed into a new waste strategy being developed, aimed at ensuring the area maximises the environmental, local and financial benefits from the waste it produces as a community.

Infrastructure services committee chairman Peter Argyle said: "We are extremely grateful to those who took the time to participate in this important consultation and we look forward to hearing their thoughts.

"As councillors making a decision that affects everyone in the area it really is important for us to understand as much as possible any concerns people may have prior to doing so.

"The results of this consultation will enable us to balance any concerns about the proposed changes with the pressing need to increase our recycling rate and divert waste from landfill."

The council's recycling and waste team will now analyse the opinions expressed and summarise the information in a report for councillors, who will decide on the shape of the new strategy.

The results of the waste strategy consultation will be published publicly in due course. Members of the council's infrastructure services committee are expected to discuss the outcome of the consultation – and how to best to proceed – on Thursday, November 29.

Committee vice-chairman John Cox said: "A lot of people have taken time out of their busy lives to provide feedback on what will be major changes to the area's waste strategy and we are grateful for that.

"We need to make changes that will support the urgent need to do something about our attitude to the waste we produce through our consumption, but we need to take the community along with us as much as possible and knowing their view is an important part of that."