Latest figures show 33.5% recycling rate for Scotland

Data submitted to the government's WasteDataFlow system shows that the recycling and composting rate for the third quarter of 2008/09 (October to December) increased to 31.7% (243,992 tonnes). When looked at in context of the whole calendar year, which eliminates seasonal factors, this means the country reached a 33.5% recycling rate from January to December 2008.

The figures represent an increase on the country's performance for the same quarter in 2007/08 when it registered a 29.2% recycling and composting rate. The progress was welcomed as Scotland continues to attempt to try and meet its ambitious recycling and composting targets set under its Zero Waste policy.

Under the Zero Waste policy, Scotland intends to recycle or compost 40% of waste by 2010, 50% by 2013, 60% by 2020 and 70% by 2025. The most recent figures represent a good indicator of where Scotland is headed as all the Zero Waste targets relate to calendar years.

Richard Lochhead, cabinet secretary for environment, today met with the leaders of the representative body for Scottish unitary authorities, the Committee of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), to examine waste reduction measures.

Addressing COSLA, Mr Lochhead said: “The latest SEPA figures illustrate a real commitment from the public to recycling, and this is to be commended. It is also encouraging to see that eight local authorities in Scotland have already reached or exceeded the 40% recycling target for municipal waste. We must continue to work together to accelerate the pace of which Scotland moves towards becoming a Zero Waste society.

“It is excellent that the results also indicate we have met our 2010 Landfill Directive target ahead of time, but we must not stop there. I urge local authorities who are performing less well to step up to the mark and follow the example of the public and other authorities who are making a real difference,” he added.

Performance

According to the latest figures, Scotland produced 3,346, 771 tonnes of municipal solid waste in the calendar year from January to December 2008 and managed to recycle or compost 1,121,686 tonnes. Of the remaining waste, 80,298 tonnes was incinerated and 2,144,787 tonnes was landfilled.

Kenny Boag, national waste policy unit manager at SEPA, said: “It is very encouraging to see Scotland's municipal waste recycling rate continue to rise year on year. An enormous amount of credit for this should go the local authorities and the public they serve for their continuing efforts to provide and make best use of the high-quality recycling collection services that have been introduced in recent times.”

“Although the signs are good in that they appear to indicate we will meet our immediate targets, we cannot afford to relax and we must redouble our efforts to further reduce, reuse and recycle our waste as meeting the 2010 target will be extremely challenging,” he added.

Of the individual councils, Clackmannanshire retained its position as the best performing council for recycling and composting with a 44.3% rate up to the year end December 2008, while Moray (43.4%) and East Ayrshire (42.4%) also performed well.

However, Eilean Siar continued to prop up the recycling and composting league table with 17.2%, slightly ahead of Glasgow which managed a 19.5% rate and Aberdeen with 22.9%.

And, the figures also indicated the total amount of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) sent to landfill was 1,294,640 tonnes, which means the country is already below its 1.32 million tonnes limit for 2009/10 set by the European Commission under the Landfill Allowance Scheme.