Reduce waste this Christmas - Make the most of recycling

The Highland Council is reminding householders and businesses to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as possible over the festive period to prevent unnecessary waste.

Christmas is a busy time for most households and businesses, and this generates a lot more waste than usual. The council is encouraging everyone to do their bit and use their blue recycling bins as usual, but especially after Christmas and into the New Year. Christmas cards, paper wrapping paper, paper packaging, cardboard, food tins, drinks cans, envelopes, food and drink cartons, aerosols and clean plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays can all be recycled in your blue bin.

Christmas is also a time when we see a lot more food waste. Throwing away good food costs the average Scottish household £460 per year so visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com for tips on saving money, preventing waste and using up your Christmas leftovers.

As a New Year’s resolution how about giving composting a try this year? Home composting is an environmentally-friendly way of dealing with your fruit and vegetable peelings as well as your garden waste, plus it produces compost that can be used as an excellent soil improver. Households who are able to home compost can divert significant amounts of food waste from landfill, thereby reducing the production of harmful Methane gas which has 80 times the warming power of CO2. The council has lots of helpful information and guidance on composting on its website www.highland.gov.uk/info/1055/recycling/108/reduce_reuse_recycle_for_highland/3

After Glasgow hosting COP26 and the Highland Council acknowledging the Climate Emergency, reducing waste in all its forms and avoiding waste going to landfill is a top priority.

Councillor Allan Henderson, chair of the council’s Communities and Place Committee said: “This has been another difficult year and we thank everyone who has continued to do their recycling. Collectively we can make a difference to the world around us, and waste is one area the whole family can tackle and take responsibility for how it is disposed of. Please use your blue recycling bin as much as possible and if you aren’t sure what can be recycled please visit our website and download a recycling guide.”

Another tool that is available to Highland households and businesses has been developed by Zero Waste Scotland. It has a quick look up recycling tool that shows you what can be recycled in each Local authority area in Scotland. Not only is this useful for your home but also when visiting other areas of Scotland. The tool can be found on this link: wasteless.zerowastescotland.org.uk/recycling-sorter

If you’re celebrating at Hogmanay, please take empty glass bottles to your local bottle bank or Household Waste Recycling Centre. You do not have to separate your glass into separate colours which makes it even more easy to recycle your glass bottles and jars.

If you have a real Christmas tree this year, please remember you can take it to your Household Waste Recycling Centre where it will be recycled into compost.

Household Waste Recycling Centres are open throughout the Festive period except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and 1st and 2nd January. Check www.highland.gov.uk/recycle for full details of Household Waste Recycling Centre opening hours and for the full range of materials accepted. Householders are reminded to separate waste before arriving at the site.

For further information about recycling in the Highlands visit: www.highland.gov.uk/recycle email recycle@highland.gov.uk or call 01349 886603.

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