Residents set new recycling record
Paper pile
FIFE Council’s waste management performance has taken another leap forward with the announcement that over 55 per cent (140,000 tonnes) of household and business waste was recycled in the financial year 2011/12.
It’s a new record for the region and ensures that the council retains its position as one of the top performing councils in the UK.
Recycling this amount of waste also means that the council saved £7.8 million in landfill tax last year and enabled it to earn over £2 million from the sale of commodities like paper and plastics. It also prevented the release of over 70,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases.
Senior manager for sustainability Chris Ewing said: “Although we’ve hit a new record, we still need to do more. The Scottish Government has set even higher targets for recycling so we have to work towards achieving them.
“Just as important though is the opportunity to save more money and reduce carbon emissions further. Projects that we are working on just now, such as the roll out of a four-bin service will ensure we hit 60 per cent recycling in a couple of years. That could save another £1.5 million per year compared to landfilling.”
The council is also building a new plant to treat food and garden waste at Lochead near Dunfermline. This will produce enough electricity to power 1500 homes and enough heat to meet the needs of a facility like Queen Margaret Hospital. The new plant should be operational by autumn next year.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Kirkcaldy
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 3 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 28 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 29 mph
Wind direction: North
