Highland Waste and Recycling Collections - Winter Conditions

22nd December 2010

Due to the continuing severe winter conditions, there have been disruptions to waste and recycling collections in some Highland Council areas. This is especially so in remote areas or where roads have considerable inclines and also cul-de-sacs with restricted access.

Every effort is being made by Council staff to collect bins and boxes on the scheduled collection day; however it is foreseeable that during periods of adverse winter weather, a disruption to normal collection service will occur.

The Highland Council is advising householders who have not had their refuse bin or blue box collected on the normal day to leave it out for collection as every effort is being made to collect them as soon as possible. Furthermore residents are being asked to keep bins free from a build up of snow on or around the bin to enable easier access for collection crews.

Some areas have suspended brown bin collections so that the resources can be used to help collect missed household bin collections. Advice currently being issued is that if a brown bin is not collected on the normal collection day it should be removed from the kerbside and presented for uplift on the next scheduled collection day. In addition, due to the distances involved, it may not always be practicable to re-schedule a missed blue bin collection. In this case, residents are being advised to take recyclables to the nearest recycling point or centre or where practicable to store them and add them to the bin at a later date.

Councillor John Laing Chairman of The Highland Council's TEC Services Committee said: "At this time of year there is always an increase in the amount of waste the Council has to deal with. However there are a number of simple steps we can all take to help cut down on our waste and protect our environment. Just follow the 3 Rs, Reduce Reuse Recycle.

"Firstly, we need to think about the waste we produce and ask the question, do we really need all the stuff we buy in the first place? Secondly, can we help other folk by giving charities the chance to reuse some of the things we no longer require? And lastly, once we're finished with it can we give it another lease of life by recycling it."

To find out more about The Highland Council's recycling facilities and some tips on how to reduce our waste please visit the Council's website at www.highland.gov.uk/recycle, e-mail recycle[AT]highland.gov.uk or telephone 01349 868439.

Christmas 2010 - Refuse and Kerbside Recycling Collection Services

Refuse collection and Kerbside Recycling
No change to scheduled collections for household bins, blue boxes or blue bins.

Recycling Centres
All of the recycling centres will be closed on 25th December and 1st and 2nd January 2010 otherwise normal opening times apply.

Garden waste and bulky uplift service
Garden collection services and Bulky Uplift requests will be suspended between Monday 27/12/2010 and Friday 07/01/2011.

Refuse bins, recycling boxes and bins should be presented by 7.00am on the day of collection.