This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Scotland recycles more waste
06/02/2006
Scotland recycled 25.1 per cent of waste in the second quarter of 2005-06 according to new statistics published today.
The latest recycling figures were released by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Executive today launched a consultation to seek views on what more can be done to promote household waste prevention.
Environment Minister Ross Finnie said:
"We set a target of recycling and composting 25 per cent of municipal waste by 2006. The latest figures show that in the quarter July - September 2005, Scotland recycled or composted 25.1 per cent.
"The rolling year average from October 2004 to September 2005 was 21 per cent. These figures show that we have increased recycling in Scotland from a low base.
"This follows considerable hard work by local authorities and I am pleased to see steady progress across Scotland. However, we cannot rest on our laurels. I am determined to see further improvements in Scotland's recycling rate and I also want to see households minimising their waste.
"Therefore, I am launching a consultation today to seek views on what more can be done to reduce the waste we produce. This is a big challenge and may involve radical steps. We would encourage as many pople as possible to offer views."
The consultation runs until April 28, 2006 and covers the following areas:
- The reasons for increased generation of household waste, including increasing disposable income, more single person households (single households tend to generate more waste, proportionately, than larger households) and convenience led lifestyles
- Work that is already being done to promote household waste prevention. For example, the Scottish Executive is funding the Waste and Resources Action Programme, a UK body, to carry out work on home composting and real nappies and to work with retailers on the design of products
- The manufacture and design of products, so that less waste is created
- Whether action should be taken in relation to disposable products
- The role of retailers in areas such as the marketing and packaging of goods
- The provision of information to consumers on the waste which may be generated by products
- Whether action should be taken on plastic carrier bags and what priority should be given to action on plastic bags in the overall context of household waste prevention
- Whether more action should be taken to tackle unwanted mail
- Whether more action should be taken to promote home and community composting
- Whether more action should be taken to promote re-use and repair of goods
- Whether the way in which local authorities collect waste, and the frequency of collections, impacts on the overall generation of waste
- Whether the Executive should consider further the possible introduction of direct charges for households for waste collection, with these charges varying depending on the amount of waste generated. The consultation makes it clear that no moves in relation to the potential introduction of direct variable charging would take place without further full and detailed consultation
- Whether targets should be laid down on local authorities in relation to household waste prevention
MUNICIPAL WASTE RECYCLING/COMPOSTING RATES BY LOCAL AUTHORITY
| Quarter July-September 2005 | Rolling year October 2004 - September 2005 |
Local Authority | | |
Aberdeen | 20.7 | 14.9 |
Aberdeenshire | 15.3 | 14.6 |
Angus | 27.5 | 30.5 |
Argyll & Bute | 21.2 | 20.4 |
Clackmannanshire | 38.4 | 36.4 |
Dumfries & Galloway | 11.3 | 8.6 |
Dundee | 29.9 | 28.0 |
East Ayrshire | 29.4 | 21.6 |
East Dunbartonshire | 30.2 | 23.2 |
East Lothian | 30.3 | 24.1 |
East Renfrewshire | 35.0 | 29.9 |
Edinburgh | 23.0 | 19.2 |
Eilean Siar | 9.9 | 8.9 |
Falkirk | 30.0 | 25.9 |
Fife | 33.3 | 29.7 |
Glasgow | 12.7 | 11.1 |
Highland | 22.7 | 16.2 |
Inverclyde | 22.1 | 14.1 |
Midlothian | 24.9 | 14.8 |
Moray | 26.4 | 25.4 |
North Ayrshire | 30.4 | 24.9 |
North Lanarkshire | 16.8 | 20.0 |
Orkney | 25.3 | 21.3 |
Perth & Kinross | 34.5 | 30.4 |
Renfrewshire | 27.7 | 21.2 |
Scottish Borders | 14.6 | 10.3 |
Shetland Islands | 10.2 | 15.2 |
South Ayrshire | 41.1 | 30.1 |
South Lanarkshire | 37.8 | 28.7 |
Stirling | 37.8 | 31.2 |
West Dunbartonshire | 18.7 | 13.1 |
West Lothian | 29.3 | 23.3 |
TOTAL SCOTLAND | 25.1 | 21.0 |