Bin trial success points to monthly landfill collection for Fifers

Councillors have been told that the two trials,currently half way through completion, have resulted in a reduction in the amount of rubbish going to landfill, while at the same time re-cycling rates for plastics, cans, paper and cardboard have increased.

And with no official public complaints received to date with regard to the four-weekly brown bin garden waste collections, it’s understood only a huge negative reaction from the 4000 residents talking part when they are surveyed at the end of trials would stop a move to a four-week bin collection from being rolled out permanently.

Since September 2015 in trial one in Markinch and Coaltown of Balgonie, blue, green and grey bins are emptied every three weeks.

In trial two Thornton and Stenton’s blue and grey bins are emptied every four weeks - the first four-weekly collection of landfill waste in the UK. Green bins have also been emptied every two weeks.

Brown bins are emptied every two weeks in both trials.

Councillor John Wincott, Fife Council’s sustainability champion said the collections in both trial areas had been doing very well.

“The results show how much waste was going in the blue bins that can be recycled and, by providing more space for recycling, we have managed to reduce landfill waste.

“In the trial areas there have been very few problems with waste going in the wrong bins, and no increase in flytipping in these areas.

Fellow councillor Ross Vettraino praised staff for the way in which the collections had been administered.

He said: “This is probably the most complicated change in service that Fife Council has ever undertaken and I cannot compliment the staff enough for their efforts in making this trial work and achieve the desired result.”