Council chiefs set new target for recycling

MIDLOTHIAN Council has set a new target of recycling and composting more than 60 per cent of the waste it collects by 2020.

The local authority has today said it will treat all discarded materials it collects from residents and businesses as potentially valuable resources from which maximum practicable value should be extracted.

It is hoped the targets can be achieved through a number of initiatives including the ongoing development of its kerbside collections, recycling points and recycling centres.

Councillor Russell Imrie, Midlothian's strategic services spokesman said:

"We will for the foreseeable future have to keep on treating the symptoms of today's 'throwaway society' by collecting and dealing with waste whilst also encouraging residents and businesses to actively reduce waste by reusing and recycling.

"However, by agreeing these resolutions we are determined to make a valuable contribution to the Scottish Government's policy of moving towards a Zero Waste Scotland.

"The target we have set ourselves to recycle and compost over 60 per cent of the materials we collect by 2020 exceeds that set by the Scottish Government."