Still time for views on waste services

RESIDENTS in Aberdeenshire have just over a week to give their views on proposed changes to the area's recycling and waste services.

So far more than 1300 people have taken part in the major consultation, voicing their opinion on efforts to push up the area's recycling rate and reduce the volume of material sent to landfill.

A package of changes is being proposed, including reducing the size of non-recyclable bins, less frequent collections, increasing each household's recycling capacity and improving the network of household waste recycling centres.

As part of the strategy a small number of recycling centres would close too as they would not have the space to accept the same range of materials for recycling as the larger sites, with any savings reinvested in providing better service at the other centres, the council said.

Two options to change kerbside waste collections are proposed as part of the revamped collection system and people are encouraged to share their views with the council on this.

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.

Aberdeenshire's current recycling rate is only 43.5 per cent, but services currently available to residents should allow a recycling rate of 70 per cent.

A council spokesman said: "Over half of the materials put into local non-recyclable waste bins are actually recyclable through existing services – equating to around 30,000 tonnes of recyclable materials being binned at a cost of £3.5 million a year.

"Sending biodegradable waste to landfill will also be banned from 2021."

Residents can give their views on the package of proposals until Friday, September 28, by clicking here.