More of Argyll and Bute’s waste is being sent to landfill – despite efforts to get the area’s residents and businesses to reuse and recycle.
A council report has revealed that 51.6% of rubbish across the area in 2019 was landfilled, as opposed to the 48.4% which is recycled.
That represents a slight increase on the 2018 split of 51.2% for landfill and 48.8% for recycling.
However, the total weight of the waste going to landfill has fallen slightly – from 18,671 tonnes in 2018 to 18,577 tonnes in 2019.
The report also reveals that the Helensburgh and Lomond area bucked the trend with 53% of rubbish being recycled last year, compared to 50.2% in 2018.
For island sites, recycling has also increased, with a 2019 figure of 44.4% compared to 38.7% 12 months before.
The changes are attributed to alterations to the authority’s glass collection service for areas outside Helensburgh and Lomond (PPP) after its previous supplier went into administration.
The report will be discussed by members of the council’s Bute and Cowal area committee on Tuesday, and by its Mid-Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands area committee the following day.
It is also expected to be on the agenda for the area meetings in Oban, Lorn and the Isles and in Helensburgh and Lomond later in the month.
In the report, executive director Kirsty Flanagan said: “The overall recycling, composting and recovery percentage figures are similar in 2019 to those in 2018. 2020 figures are expected to be lower due to recycling service suspension during Covid lockdown.
“Landfill costs in Landfill Tax alone is around £90 per tonne for every tonne disposed of in landfill.
“It is interesting to note that during Covid-19, our landfill charges increased significantly but our overall costs remained similar with savings being made on road haulage and gate fees for recycling material being transported to processors.
“However, it is important to note that the environmental impact of landfilling all material would be significant and the amended collection regime was put in place purely as a reaction to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The council waste PPP combined recycled, composted and recovery has decreased from 49.6% in 2018 to 46.6% in 2019.
“This is mainly due to changes in the glass collection following the previous service supplier going into administration.
“This service is now self-delivered by the council and most of the glass has been counted through the council site at Blackhill in Helensburgh for onward recycling. This has therefore increased the figures relative to Helensburgh and Lomond.”
Ms Flanagan also gave a brief update on the planned landfill ban, which the Scottish Government had planned to implement from 2021.
She added: “The landfill ban planned for 2021 has since been rescheduled by the Scottish Government until 2025.
“This delay has been welcomed by the council and gives more time for alternative solutions and funding to be sought.”
This is not strictly true. Glass is recycled and soft drinks bottles deposited in the skips at recycling centres.
Of the waste put into blue bins cans, cleam cardboard and newsprint are extracted for recycling all other materials plastic and contaminated from the above glossy magazines catalogues and envelopes are all burnt by ENVO in their heat and power plant. All collected materials are delivered free of charge to ENVO and there is no pay back to the council for those items recycled. The majority of materials collected for recycling are burnt.