The money is to come from the Executive's Strategic Waste Fund to develop integrated kerbside collection and new waste management facilities, including a new composting facility.
The Executive said it is determined that Scotland moves to the top of the European recycling league. Scottish environment minister, Ross Finnie said: “This funding will help ensure the Western Isles can play their part in Scotland achieving its targets.”
“Our National Waste Plan, which we are backing with significant resources is beginning to show a real difference on the ground. Every month, recycling becomes easier for Scots with new and improved kerbside facilities, recycling bins and other services,” he said.
The National Waste Plan, which was published in February 2003, sets out the Executive's targets for sustainable waste management until 2020. It includes plans for segregated kerbside recycling waste collection for nine out of ten Scottish homes.
Commenting on how the award will support the Western Isles Area Waste Plan, Malcolm Sangster, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency's waste strategic co-ordinator, said: “This award is a significant development in the implementation of that plan, part of Scotland's drive to reduce landfilling of our waste.
Composter
“Specifically it will allow the development of an innovative composting and anaerobic digestion plant, the first of its kind in Scotland and an integral part of dealing with municipal solid waste,” he said.
The Western Isles Area Waste Plan requires that by 2010, 30% of municipal waste be dealt with by a combination of anaerobic digestion and composting and 25% be recycled. This is to be coupled with a programme of waste prevention and increased recycling.
Senior Recycling officer at Western Isles council said that though the current recycling rate is only 8%, he believed that the council was well on the way to meeting its targets.
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