West Dunbartonshire Council has updated its website to provide information on how local residents can recycle more materials at home as well as while out and about, plus more information on local recycling facilities, services and schemes.
The Council are also for the first time posting regular information on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter so that residents can access information in different relevant formats and more often.
For waste and recycling guidance in West Dunbartonshire contact the Waste Aware Team on 0845 111 0050 or visit
www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/environment/waste-services
Give your unwanted items a new home
Throwing away an item because it’s worn out or has gone out of fashion is a common impulse; yet in many cases the item could be repaired or made into something else, and even when you’re sure you don’t want it any more, it can often be donated, sold or even given away.
Why not learn how to sew on a button; carry out basic bike repairs; or refurbish a chair? You can even arrange to swap skills with friends, you’ll find that you save a lot of money and can keep a hold of your treasured items for longer. Of course, in some cases we just simply don’t want or have a use for items. Instead of throwing them away, why not find out about the local charity shops or reuse organisations in your area? Most charity shops take a wide range of items, from clothes and textiles; to books and bric-a-brac – and of course you’re supporting a good cause. Local reuse organisations commonly take items like household furniture, bikes and electronics. These are repaired and either given to local people in need or sold on at a low cost.
So next time you go to throw something in the bin, consider whether or not someone else would get use out of it!
Garden Tool Amnesty set to benefit local community groups
Loch Lomond Homes and Gardens and West Dunbartonshire Council are launching a Gardening Tool Amnesty set to benefit local community groups. The aim of the project is to ask local people to donate any gardening tools they no longer use so they can be loaned at no cost to community groups who can’t afford to buy their own.
Loch Lomond Homes and Gardens Centre will be the access point for donating tools and they will be responsible for loaning them out to community groups. Speaking of the project, Loch Lomond Homes and Gardens Centre General Manager, Thomas Callaghan says: “I am delighted that West Dunbartonshire Council has lent us their support in this really worthwhile project. I know from personal and professional experience that there must be many old gardening tools, replaced or upgraded, that are languishing in garages and sheds throughout the area that could be put to good use.
“Given the fact that groups starting out gardening or running a gardening project can find buying all the right equipment pretty expensive, it makes sense to try to bring the two together so everyone benefits. And we are happy to be the access point for the Gardening Tool Amnesty as we can ‘recondition’ the donated tools ready for use by community groups as well as offer advice and tips on making sure their gardening is as successful as possible.”
West Dunbartonshire Council is delighted to support the amnesty and would encourage everyone to donate tools they don’t use anymore as the council are committed to increasing reuse wherever possible to cut down on waste and prolong the lives of useful tools.
Anyone wishing to donate old gardening tools should take them along to Loch Lomond Homes and Gardens, Gartocharn Road, Balloch G83 8NB. Community groups interested in borrowing the tools for gardening projects should contact the garden centre on 01389 752947.
Recycle your cartons
Remember that Tetra Pak cartons can now be recycled in your blue bin, box or bag. This includes any of the cardboard type cartons which contain liquids such as fruit juice, soup or milk. Recycling as many of your cartons as possible will prevent this recyclable material going to landfill. For more information on what can be recycled in your blue bin, box or bag visit our Recycling At Home page.
Residents satisfied with Alternate Weekly Waste Collection Service
A recent public satisfaction survey carried out in Dumbarton and Alexandria by Keep Scotland Beautiful has returned a very positive response on West Dunbartonshire Council’s Waste Services Section and its Alternate Weekly Collection Service.
The survey found that 92% of respondents rated the overall domestic bin service as excellent or good since the alternate weekly service was introduced. In general the survey found that residents have adapted well to the change to the alternate weekly collection service which was introduced last year in Dumbarton and Alexandria and which is being introduced in the Clydebank area from March 14th 2011.
The survey also found that 98% of residents in West Dunbartonshire are regular recyclers with a good knowledge of the type of materials which can be recycled in blue and brown bins with the main reason for recycling being that it is good for the environment, with the next most popular reason being that it reduces the amount of waste going to landfill. Residents surveyed also rated the Councils communication materials such as calendars and recycling guides very highly, saying they were easy to understand and contained enough information to help them to recycle. One very positive aspect of the survey was that over 60% of residents are now more aware of the food they waste each week because they use the food caddies. It is hoped that residents now plan meals in advance and reduce the food they waste.
Due to residents using the recycling services the recycling rates in West Dunbartonshire are already increasing to 40% and the introduction of the alternate weekly collection scheme plus food waste recycling in brown bins in the Clydebank area is expected to collect an extra 3000 tonnes of waste once fully implemented. Click here to download survey
Towards Zero Waste – Raising awareness on how the councils new waste collection service will work in your area.
In November 2009, West Dunbartonshire Council approved the implementation of a new alternate weekly collection service for all low level homes in the West Dunbartonshire area. This new service will mean that blue bins will have additional dry recyclable material added and be collected on a fortnightly frequency, brown bins will have food waste added and be collected on a fortnightly frequency and residual (landfill) waste will be collected on a fortnightly frequency. This should permit householders to recycle up to 50% of their waste.
Households with blue, brown and green or grey wheeled bins in Dumbarton, Renton, Vale of Leven, Bonhill, Balloch and Gartocharn will be receiving this new waste collection service from April 12th 2010 which will see a priority given to recycling. Under the new scheme, instead of monthly blue and brown bin collections, recyclable waste and non-recyclable waste will be collected on alternate weeks. Changes also include the introduction of a food waste recycling scheme using kitchen caddies to collect the food waste which can then be placed in brown bins alongside garden waste. The range of materials that can be recycled in blue bins is also increasing to include drinks cartons such as Tetrapak. It is estimated that once the scheme is fully implemented, 6000 extra tonnes of waste could be recycled per year which will help the Council avoid paying millions of pounds in Landfill Tax charges.
A recycling guide will be delivered to all affected homes before the new service starts, with full details of how and what to recycle along with any revised collection dates.
This new service will be rolled from March 2011 in the Clydebank area. Please watch out for householder guidance about the new service which will be supplied to all participating households in advance of the start date, as well as ‘walk in’ guidance events, which will be widely publicised in each area prior to implementation. In the meantime please visit the Alternate Weekly Collection Service web page for further information.
Towards Zero Waste - Battery Recycling
As of 1st February 2010 supermarkets in West Dunbartonshire and shops that sell batteries will have collection bins for used batteries. Look out for the Be Positive signs in shop windows and in stores to find these collection areas. West Dunbartonshire Council is working in partnership with Valpak to enable residents to recycle their household batteries. There is now a small container sited at each Household Waste Recycling Centre at Dalmoak, Dumbarton, Ferry Road, Old Kilpatrick and Stanford Street, Clydebank, where residents can deposit all sizes of household batteries. All batteries deposited for recycling should still be in a sealed, undamaged condition. The materials contained in batteries are very valuable and when you recycle your household batteries these materials are recovered and used to make new batteries and other metal products.
The Waste Batteries Regulations (2009) mean that most businesses and shops that supply batteries now have to offer collection points for them - any retailer supplying more than one pack of four AA batteries a day will have to comply. Recycling your batteries will be a welcome boost for the environment. It can help save some of the earth’s natural resources and save on CO2 emissions by reducing the need to use new materials.
For more information on battery recycling please visit www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/content/ways-recycle-batteries.
For further information on West Dunbartonshire Council’s recycling services please visit Waste Services or call the Recycling Helpline on 0845 111 0050.
Recycling campaign used by West Dunbartonshire Council wins
prestigious global environment award
A new innovative branding concept currently being used to promote recycling across West Dunbartonshire has received global praise and recognition from a leading global environment body.
The new flexible campaign from Waste Aware Scotland – which has already been adopted by 27 Scottish local authorities including West Dunbartonshire – was awarded the International Solid Waste Association’s (ISWA) prestigious Communication Award for being an ``exemplar’’ of how best to promote recycling to the public. The award was presented to Waste Aware Scotland by Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead during the official opening of Keep Scotland Beautiful’s (KSB) new office in Stirling. The campaign is also set for recognition at the ISWA World Congress next month in Lisbon.
The new campaign is designed to increase recycling rates across West Dunbartonshire by making the practice easier for local people through clearly explaining the variety of products that can be recycled and how to do so. The move is viewed as a key part of helping achieve the wider vision of a Zero Waste Scotland.
As part of the new approach, promotional materials will feature images of the recyclable products – e.g: brand name milk cartons, cereal boxes, newspapers and catalogues, alongside an image of the recycling container into which they should be placed. The materials will also feature easily understood strap lines such as: Everything here…can go in here…
The brand can also be easily adapted by the council to include all recyclate materials and collection systems including compostable garden waste; household furniture; textiles; plastic bottles and glass – again allowing the public to easily identify the range of recyclable products and moreover, where they should be placed. It can also be used for different sectors including the likes of schools and businesses.
Commenting on the new approach Councillor William Hendrie, Spokesperson for Housing, Environment and Economic Development said ‘The new branding will make it even easier for West Dunbartonshire residents to recycle their waste as it features everyday items that are easy to recognize. It will therefore help West Dunbartonshire Council towards reaching the Scottish Governments Zero Waste challenges.’
Dr Nicki Souter, Waste Aware Scotland added: “The new branding approach is an excellent example of Scotland leading the way in devising innovative and creative ways of engaging the public with the wider recycling effort.
“With over 80 per cent of the Scottish public now recycling in some way, the challenge is to widen the amount of materials people recycle and our new branding will help by clearly identifying which products can be recycled and what’s more, how to do it. The new brand approach marks a huge step forward in normalising recycling behaviour across Scotland.’’
Working Towards Zero Waste – Reducing Your Waste
West Dunbartonshire Council are urging employees and residents to make small changes to the way they manage their food to help reduce waste sent to landfill, reduce carbon emissions and save themselves money.
In the most detailed study of its kind, a new report, The Food We Waste in Scotland, published by WRAP Scotland, has highlighted that £1 billion of food is needlessly thrown away by Scottish households each year which equates to over 1.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere each year.
The report reveals that Scottish households throw out 570,000 tonnes of food and drink each year, most of which could have been avoided if it had been planned, stored or prepared better. This is a loss to the average household of £430 every year. For families with children it is higher at £550 – a significant chunk of the family budget. The full report can be found at www.wrap.org.uk.
Another survey carried out across Scotland, found that the most common items thrown away were milk (31,000 tonnes), sliced bread (25,000 tonnes), fizzy drinks (23,000 tonnes), potatoes (19,000 tonnes) and ready meals or snacks (14,000 tonnes). In addition, 96,000 tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables were binned. If these had been eaten, they could have contributed 1 billion portions of our recommended 5-a-day intake. Half of the good food thrown out for council collection was whole and uneaten, with one in seven items still in their packaging.
The main reasons given in the survey for disposing of food were:
- Buying more than we need - unplanned shopping
- Storage - fridges are often too warm
- Not eating short shelf life items before their use by date
- Children's food likes and dislikes
- Informal or unplanned eating patterns leading to food bought that is not needed
There are many small changes householders can make to the way they manage their food, which can dramatically reduce their food waste and put that money back in their pocket, for example, planning food shopping and storing food correctly. The Love Food Hate Waste website: www.wasteawarelovefood.org.uk offers a host of hints, tips and simple recipes to enable people to make the most of the food they buy.”
The latest phase of the Love Food Hate Waste campaign is encouraging Scotland’s householders to reduce food waste by buying seasonal and locally produced orchard fruits. The campaign also encourages people to share their hints and tips on reducing food waste by using an interactive website with food waste diaries and a forum for exchanging ideas on how to avoid wasting the food they buy. There is also help from chefs and food champions on how to plan and prepare food, information on storing and portioning and recipe ideas for leftovers.
The campaign is being supported by celebrity chefs such as Nick Nairn and food writers such as Martin Wishart and is also designed to link into other Scottish food related campaigns such as the Healthy Living Campaign, Scottish Food in Season and the Food Standards Agency. In a recent survey it was found that food waste accounted for almost a fifth (19%) of our domestic waste. The research found that cooked food is more likely to be thrown away than raw ingredients, and that fresh fruit and vegetables are the most common uncooked food to be discarded followed by bread and cakes.
For more information on any waste prevention or recycling issues visit the Waste Services web page or call 0845 111 0050.
Fluorescent Tubes can now be recycled at West Dunbartonshire Councils three Household Waste Recycling Centres:
Fluorescent Tubes can be harmful to the environment. You should not dispose of fluorescent tubes, sodium lamps and energy saving bulbs and lighting in landfill. Normal bulbs can be disposed of straight into your landfill bin. Mercury is also a valuable natural resource and therefore recoering it and other materials from the tubes for reuse is an environmentally friendly option. Straight fluorescent lamps, sodium lamps and energy saving bulbs can be recycled at Dalmoak, Ferry Road and Stanford Street.
Visit the Household Waste Recycling Centres web page for details of the Household Waste Recycling Centre opening times.
Kerbside Recycling Campaign Survey
West Dunbartonshire Council in partnership with the Zero Waste Scotland, recently carried out a survey to assess resident’s attitudes to the council’s kerbside recycling service. The full survey report details the findings of a door to door survey which was carried out among West Dunbartonshire householders to establish how satisfied they are with the service and if they thought it should be changed in any way.
The main findings of the survey reported that 96% of West Dunbartonshire residents who qualify for the wheeled bin recycling services, have a blue bin and 93% have a brown bin available. The survey also suggested that 90% of blue wheeled bin users and 92% of brown wheeled bin users rate the service overall as very good or good. Whilst 84% of residents who use the blue box and bag service also rated their service overall as good or very good.
While some wheeled bin recycling service users were in favour of more frequent collections, more than 60% of the residents questioned, stated they would use a separate recycling container for glass bottles and jars, were they to be provided with one by the council.
The Council is currently performing above the 30% recycling target set for 2008 the previous Scottish Executive and will study the findings of the survey to develop future plans to meet the new challenging recycling targets announced recently by the Scottish Government.
If you would like further information, please download the full Kerbside Recycling Campaign Survey. (379KB .pdf document)
Recycling Poster
West Dunbartonshire Council has developed a downloadable recycling poster for all households in the area. The poster can be downloaded and used by all households which have blue bins, blue bags or blue boxes and gives hints on what can be recycled in the containers. It has been sustainably developed to reduce the issues relating to transport and delivery when guides, leaflets and flyers are delivered to households.
This is only one of the ways the Council is helping residents get to know what to recycle in their recycling containers. For further information on recycling please contact 0845 111 0500 or download the recycling poster. (109KB .pdf document)
Reduce Unwanted Direct Mail
Some residents of West Dunbartonshire may wish to reduce the amount of unwanted direct mail they receive by registering with a free service to remove their name from mailing lists in the UK.
The Mailing Preference Services (MPS) is a free service which has been operating for over 20 years to enable consumers to have their individual names and home addresses removed for UK mailing lists. If you would like to remove your name from mailing lists register with the Mailing Preference Service or by calling their information line on telephone number 0845 703 4599.
Residents can also opt out of the Royal Mail’s Door to Door Service. To do this you can call the Royal Mail on 08457 950 950 (Choose option 1 for business customers, then option 3, then option 1 then finally option 3) or visit the Royal Mail website.
Zero Waste Scotland have also launched a campaign to reduce unwanted mail and to raise awareness of the impact of unwanted mail on the environment. Reducing the amount of unwanted mail delivered to Scottish households is a key action of the Scottish Government's Household Waste Prevention Action Plan. For more information on the campaign visit the Zero Waste Scotland website.
Carpets can now be reused!
Reuse involves the multiple use of an item in its original form, for its original purpose or for an alternative, with or without reconditioning. In many cases waste that cannot be prevented can be reused instead of buying new products. For example, you can now recycle carpets at Spruce Carpets.
Carpets can be donated to Spruce Carpets, who will refurbish them and redistribute to residents in need of affordable flooring. Spruce Carpets can be contacted by telephone on 0141 425 1555 or visit their website at www.sprucecarpets.org.uk/.
