Council hails government waste plans

City leaders today backed radical Scottish Government plans to improve recycling rates.

Under new “zero waste” regulations there would be a ban on municipal biodegradable waste being sent to landfill and on materials collected for recycling going to landfill.

New requirements would also be introduced for removing recyclable materials from unsorted waste before the waste is incinerated.

Councillor Robert Aldridge, the city’s environment leader, said: “We are pleased the Scottish Government has provided policy certainty on the future requirements of local authorities’ waste management plans.

“We are already progressing a key element of this legislation – separate food waste collection and treatment.

“We are also about to tender a contract for treatment of the unsorted waste we collect which would eventually mean we will be able to recycle and potentially recover energy from almost all of our waste and send the smallest amount possible to landfill.

“We will be looking at this new legislation in depth and aligning our waste strategy appropriately.”