Angus Council began the first phase of its roll out of a new kerbside recycling service yesterday (24 February), as part of its plans to 'make it easier for residents to recycle more materials at home' and reach a 60 per cent recycling target by 2020.

Previously, the majority of householders (excluding around 6,000 rural residents) received weekly collections of general waste in a 240-litre grey bin, along with weekly collections of dry recyclables in a green box and fortnightly collections of garden waste in a green wheelie bin.

The council was recycling around 41 per cent under this scheme.

However, under the new service around 53, 500 households across Angus will soon receive fortnightly collections of general waste (in a new, smaller, purple bin), and use their old grey bin for co-mingled dry recyclables (collected on a fortnightly basis).

Residents will also receive two brown food caddies (one for indoor and one for outdoor use), which will be collected once a week. Green waste will continue to be collected on a fortnightly basis in the green wheelie bin.

Anyone with a green recycling box (now redundant) are being advised that they may either keep it or hand it to the council.

Trial saw recycling rates more than double

Letters and an information booklet advising householders of the changes are currently being delivered to residents of Arbroath and Carnoustie (until 28 March), with new bins scheduled for delivery two to three weeks after they have received the initial letter and information booklet.

The two areas have been chosen for the first phase of the roll out as around 5,000 householders in these towns already know the system thanks to a trial run that ran between September 2012 and March 2013.

Indeed, according to a council survey, the trial had a 96 per cent satisfaction rate with householders, and saw recycling levels rise from 18 per cent to 55 per cent, and residual waste arisings drop by 40 per cent.

The council’s convener of communities, Councillor Donald Morrison said: “I’d like to thank everyone who took part in the trial which also allowed us to gauge the feedback on the service. The amount of materials being recycled was really encouraging as it prevents more going to landfill, meaning we not only save money on landfill taxes, but we also protect the environment.

“People who took part in the trial told us that they found the new service to be a positive experience. I’m hoping that as the service is rolled out across the county, this is an experience that is shared by every householder.”

Phase two, covering Forfar, Kirriemuir and surrounding areas, is provisionally planned to be rolled out in June/July 2014, with phase three, covering Montrose, Brechin and the surrounding area, scheduled for September/October 2014.

Anyone wishing to find out more about the new recycling service can speak to staff from the council’s waste services team at the following locations:

• Co-op, Carnnoustie - Tuesday, 25 February, 11am-5pm
• Tesco, Arbroath – Wednesday, 26 February, 12pm – 4pm
• Morrisons, Arbroath – Thursday, 27 February, 11am – 5pm
• Tesco, Monifieth – Friday, 28 February, 11am-4pm

Read more about Angus’s new kerbside recycling service.