South Ayrshire Council
Waste Management
and Recycling
Burns House
Burns Statue Square,
Ayr KA7 1UT

Customer Services
Tel: 0845 601 2020
cst@south-ayrshire.gov.uk

A new system for uplifting household waste has been phased in across South Ayrshire.

Why has this been done? The simple answer is that the European Union Landfill Directive requires a reduction of the amount of waste that is being disposed of by landfill, and the only way to achieve this is to radically change the way waste is disposed of.

Funds received from the Scottish Government’s Strategic Waste Fund are being used to finance the implementation of new systems for collecting waste, the total amount of funding received is £19.623 million up to the year 2020.

The three Ayrshire Councils, Dumfries and Galloway Council, and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) have developed an Area Waste Plan. The Plan sets out challenging but realistic objectives to change the way waste is managed in Scotland.

In line with European legislation the Plan outlines ways to meet the challenge of reducing the amount of waste that is disposed of in landfill sites from the current 95% to less than 50% by 2020.

South Ayrshire Council aims to achieve this objective by introducing what is termed the ‘3 bin system’ for household waste. In addition it is proposed to offer a service to householders that will enable them to have used glass uplifted from the kerbside outside their home using a plastic box. All the glass that is collected will be taken away and recycled.

Speaking about the new household waste collection system, Leader of South Ayrshire Council, Councillor Andy Hill said: “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – that is the only way forward for the people of South Ayrshire, everyone has to get their household waste sorted.

“The government has made it quite clear that every Council, including South Ayrshire, has to change the way it deals with waste. Currently 92% of the waste collected by this Council goes to landfill sites.

“Everyone has their part to play in the scheme, householders must reduce the amount of waste created, and recycle and compost wherever possible.

“Sorting out waste before placing it in bins will require a little bit of extra effort from everyone, but the long term benefits to the environment are incalculable.
Everyone has a duty to protect the environment during their lifetime, in order that people in the future may enjoy the benefits we have.

“The system is being phased in across South Ayrshire in order to make the transition from one collection system to another as smooth as possible.

“Householders are invited to telephone the helpline if they have any questions about the new system.”

For any enquiries or assistance abouth the Council's new kerbside recycling services please call the Recycling Helpline telephone number: 0845 601 2020.

South Ayrshire Council's Leader Andy Hill, Provost Gordon McKenzie, Councillor Alex Cairns and Councillor David Duncan with the new Wheelie Bins.

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