Everything you need to know about recycling in Fife this Christmas

The local authority has 11 household waste recycling centres and 271 recycling points – which can be found at www.fife.gov.uk/recycling

Due to social distancing requirements, an online booking system is in place for Fife’s recycling centres – www.fife.gov.uk/recyclingcentres.

Sandy Anderson, Fife Council’s service manager for Waste Operations, said: “Please make best use of your kerbside recycling bins by squashing plastic bottles and food and drinks cans and flattening cardboard.

“If you normally visit your local recycling centre over the festive period please book your slot in advance and try to bring everything you need to recycle in one trip.

“If you’ve booked a slot, but can’t make it, please ensure you cancel your appointment. Cancelling your slot is quick and easy using the link on your confirmation email. This allows others to make use of local recycling centres.”

All recycling centres will be closed on December 25 and 26 and January 1 and 2. With the exception of these dates you will be able to book a slot at your local recycling centre on its usual opening days.

The council has identified 43 of the busiest recycling points, where waste is left outside of bins, and where illegal dumping occurs. These range from Tesco at Duloch, Dunfermline to Double Dykes Road car park, St Andrews.

To help tackle these issues, council employees will visit busier recycling points to provide advice to residents, report and investigate any illegal dumping and, if required, arrange for bins to be emptied.

Recycling points will not be serviced on December 25 and 26 and January 1 and 2.

The council also is encouraging residents to reduce their waste and to think carefully about how they dispose of their rubbish and unwanted items.

Cllr Ross Vettraino, convenor of the Environment, Protective Services and Community Safety Committee, said: “Christmas is a busy time and we all know that it can be hard to find time to carry out certain tasks. Fifers must remember that everyone responsible for their own waste and should dispose of their rubbish responsibly, either in their kerbside bins or at a recycling point or centre.

“Please help local communities by recycling responsibly. Only plastic packaging, drinks/food cans, paper/cardboard (where bins are available) and glass jars and bottles can be disposed of at recycling points.

“If your local recycling point is full, please take your recycling to your next nearest point or store it in your car or at home until the bins are emptied.

“Please don’t leave any recycling on the ground as this means council employees can’t access recycling bins without manually moving all the material.

“Unfortunately, an issue, particularly at this time of year, is the misuse of recycling centres and points. Previously, there has been illegal dumping at the gates of recycling centres after the second day of public holiday festive closures.

“In addition to taking action to ensure that the sites are kept clear, the council will adopt a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to any such illegal activity and will take steps to identify those doing so.”

People can report any instances of fly-tipping online at www.fife.gov.uk/flytipping.

To help local people to recycle right, there will be additional support at some recycling points.

Although recycling points and recycling centres are extremely busy during December, waste or recycling must not be left outwith the bins, as this can lead to fines of £200. Fines for fly-tipping start at £200, but can increase to £40,000.

The council has also issued some tips ahead of Christmas.

Wrapping paper and cardboard – once Christmas day is over, recycle paper and cardboard responsibly and safely. Unwanted paper and cardboard can go into your grey bin, or be disposed of at a recycling centre. Please compact all boxes for recycling as that way they can fit into the recycling bin.

If you have bulky cardboard that is too big for your recycling bin please put it out alongside your grey bin

This is a one-off collection of excess cardboard only for the grey bin collection day that falls after Christmas. Please ensure any excess bulky cardboard is put out on the day of collection, not the previous day.

Food leftovers – recycle all food waste (cooked and uncooked) in the brown bin. But please don’t put any food in the food recycling that still has residual bits of plastic or foil attached.

Electrical goods – recycle your old and used goods responsibly by taking them along to a recycling centre, or donate them to a local charity shop.

Find your nearest charity shop: www.charityretail.org.uk/find-a-charity-shop

Real Christmas trees – your real Christmas tree can be disposed of in your brown bin or by cutting into 6ft lengths and leaving alongside your brown bin on your collection day.

Glass jars and bottles – once the chutneys, jams and drink have been consumed it is time to think about re-using or recycling. Please dispose of glass responsibly at a recycling point.

For more information about recycling, visit the Fife Council website.