New Contract For Highland's Mixed Plastic And Metal Containers Recycling Services

2nd October 2024

Photograph of New Contract For Highland's Mixed Plastic And Metal Containers Recycling Services

A new contract has been awarded to Perthshire's Wyllie Recycling Ltd for the provision of mixed plastic and metal container recycling services and haulage in Highland. This includes plastic bottles, pots, tubs, trays, metals tins, drink cans, aerosols and food and drink cartons which are collected in the new green recycling bins.

The Council has procured Wyllie’s services for a contract period of up to 5 years with approximately 5,600 tonnes of mixed plastic and metal containers projected to be sent for recycling from the region annually.

Wyllie Recycling Ltd, a Scottish family-owned business, will provide a unique end-to-end recycling service for the Council. This means Wyllie’s will collect the mixed plastic and metal containers from Council Waste Transfer Stations in Invergordon, Inverness, Caithness, Portree and Lochaber.

The material will then be transported to their Materials Recovery Facility in Perth which is specifically designed to sort and separate the mixed plastic and metal containers into various material streams.

The separated materials such as Aluminium, steel and HDPE plastic and PET plastic are baled and then transported to UK manufacturers and made into new containers. The clear HDPE plastic is used to make new milk bottles and clear PET plastic is used to make new water bottles, all within the UK.

Cllr Graham MacKenzie, Chair of the Communities and Place Committee for The Highland Council said: "Wyllie Recycling Limited’s impressive end-to-end recycling service will provide reassurance to our residents and Business Waste Collection customers that their efforts in recycling are absolutely worthwhile and that the items they separate for recycling are being recycled here within the UK.

“The programme to implement the new twin stream recycling in Highland is going very well with over 80,000 households now using the new waste and recycling service in the region."

Households can now separate their recycling into two bins - paper/card into the blue bin and mixed plastic and metal containers into the green bin. This new system significantly helps to improve the quality and quantity of the material that is sent for recycling from Highland.

Cllr MacKenzie continued: “Initial feedback from Wyllie’s is the quality of the material sent to them from the Highlands so far is good. This is really positive and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the public for their time and effort with the new recycling services.”

John Gilmour, Commerical Manager from Wyllie Recycling said: “Wyllie Recycling are delighted to have been awarded this significant contract by The Highland Council. This is a huge achievement and testament to the hard work of all our team. This decision reinforces our position as Scotland’s leading recycling company for mixed plastic and metal containers and our distinctive fleet can now be seen across the Highland region, promoting the Council’s clean recycling message."

As a public reminder, the Council cannot accept any plastic film and soft plastics in the recycling bins. For more information and tips on how to reduce your waste, please visit www.highland.gov.uk/recycle.

 

Related Businesses

 

Related Articles

Yesterday : Local Authority

What Changes in Highland Today? New Rules for Private Hire Drivers and a Fresh Garden Waste Year

For most people in Highland, 1 September is simply the start of another month.  But today also marks the beginning of two changes introduced by Highland Council which will affect different groups of residents.  

Yesterday : Local Authority

 
Candidates for Highland Council Ward 3 Wick and East Caithness By-Election confirmed

Following today’s deadline for nominations, The Highland Council can confirm the details of the 5 candidates that are standing in the Ward 3 Wick and East Caithness by-election.  There are 5 candidaes.  

31/8/2026 : Local Authority

Head Teacher at Thurso High School, outlined measures that have helped improve educational outcomes

Highland Council’s strategy to raise attainment in the region is making good progress, with encouraging early data emerging from this year's examination results.   Last week councillors on the education committee noted the work undertaken in Highland Council's Education and Learning Improvement Plan (ELIP) and the associated Raising Attainment and Achievement Strategy (RAAS).  

28/8/2026 : Local Authority

Council Funded Advice services assist 25,000 customers and exceed £30.3 million in financial gains

Almost 25,000 customers were assisted by the Council’s Welfare Support Team and Citizens Advice during 2025/26 for support with welfare, debt and housing issues.   As a result, financial gains for clients exceeded £30.3 million, representing a £18.84 return for every £1 allocated to these services by the Council.  

28/8/2026 : Local Authority

 
Do We Need a New Kind of Cemetery? Could Highland's Greenspaces Help Make Funerals More Affordable?

There may be no more appropriate time to ask Highland Council whether we need to rethink the way we remember those who have died.   The Council has just launched a six-week consultation on its draft Greenspace Biodiversity Management Strategy 2026-2030.  

26/8/2026 : Local Authority

The Triple Squeeze: Energy, Mortgages and Council Tax — How Much More Can Households Take?

There is a point at which individual increases in household costs stop being individual problems and become something much bigger.   A £100 increase in the annual energy bill may be manageable.  

24/8/2026 : Local Authority

Thurso Schools: Public Meeting and Statutory Consultation – Key Dates

Highland Council has now formally launched its statutory consultation on proposals to replace Thurso High School and reorganise primary school provision in the town.   The consultation concerns the proposed relocation of Thurso High School, Pennyland Primary School and Miller Academy Primary School to a new education campus based around the existing Thurso High School site and the proposed Community Point of Delivery.  

21/8/2026 : Local Authority

Public consultation to help shape future policy protecting Highland's dark skies

Councillors have approved the launch of a public consultation on draft guidance aimed at reducing light pollution across the Highlands, supporting environmental protection, public wellbeing and the area's internationally recognised dark skies.   Members of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee yesterday (Thursday 20 August) agreed to publish the draft Reducing Light Pollution: Good Practice Guidance for consultation, once minor clarifications are included, giving residents, communities, businesses and developers the opportunity to help shape future policy.  

21/8/2026 : Local Authority

Highland bus service improvement plans

The Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee has endorsed plans to launch a 12-week public consultation on a proposed Highland Bus Service Improvement Partnership (BSIP), giving communities, passengers and stakeholders the opportunity to help shape the future of bus services across the region.   The consultation will seek views on draft proposals developed by The Highland Council in partnership with HITRANS and bus operators to improve the operational performance, accessibility, attractiveness and consistency of bus services across Highland.  

19/8/2026 : Local Authority

Demand for social housing remains high across Highland Butit is part of a biggr Scottish Problem

Demand for social housing across the Highlands remains high, with almost 8,826 households on the Highland Housing Register (HHR).   Housing and Property Committee Chair, Cllr Glynis Campbell Sinclair, said: “The demand for social housing across Highland remains significant and continues to outstrip the number of homes available in many areas.