Scotland's recycling and composting rate continues to make steady progress.
Figures released today (Friday 13 February), by the Scottish Environment
Protection Agency (SEPA), show that Scotland's annual recycling and composting
rate rose to 32.9% for the year October 2007 to September 2008. The recycling
and composting rate for the second quarter of 2008/09 (July to September)
increased to 36.3%.
Bill Proctor, SEPA's Waste Data Unit Manager said: "Today's figures show a continuing steady rise in Scotland's recycling and composting rate. The rise represents the efforts of the public and local authorities to manage waste more sustainably and move towards the aim of a zero waste Scotland.
"These positive results should encourage us all to continue with our efforts to minimise waste growth and maximise recycling and to continue to meet the ambitious recycling/composting targets set out for Scotland."
Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said: "I am very pleased to see that a number of local authorities are heading in the right direction on our journey to becoming a Zero Waste society and setting a good example for others to follow.
"While the improvement in recycling performance is welcome, much more needs to
be done. The Scottish Government has set an ambitious target of recycling 70 per
cent of municipal waste by 2025."
Quarter 2 figures are from 1 July - 30 September 2008 and rolling year figures are from 1 October 2007 - 30 September 2008 and can be found at:
www.sepa.org.uk/waste/waste_data_menu/waste_data_reports/landfill_allowance_scheme_repo.aspx
The rolling year data aggregates the last four quarters' returns and is the best means of comparison for annual data as it eliminates seasonal factors. The recycling/composting rate calculated from the rolling year data is used when checking progress towards meeting the recycling/composting targets.
Previous data: the recycling and composting rate for the first quarter of 2008/9 (April to June) was 35.5%, with a rate of 32.2% for the rolling year July 2007 to June 2008.
Municipal recycling/composting targets are 50% by 2013 (required to contribute to meeting LAS targets), 60% by 2020 and 70% by 2025.
