Falkirk Council: Put the wrong item in recycling bin and risk a red card

Falkirk Council has announced a strict clampdown in a bid to reduce contamination in recycling bins – but already some residents are questioning how it can be enforced.

The council has said from September 11 it will be introducing a two-step traffic light process put in place. If any incorrect material is found, an amber tag will be placed on the bin highlighting to residents that their bin contained a few items of “low-level contamination”, such as plastic bags, plastic containers containing food scraps or crisp bags.

A spokesperson for the council said: “These are items which are commonly mistaken as being suitable for recycling. Bins will still be collected as usual, as most material is correct, and the amber tag will be marked to show what the contamination was.”

However, heavily contaminated bins, overweight or unsafe bins, including those containing black bags, hypodermic needles, or human excrement, will receive a red tag and will not be collected. In such cases, residents will be advised to remove the wrong materials and present their bin on the next scheduled collection day.

Alternatively, residents can dispose of the contaminated materials at a recycling centre or a one-time bin collection before the next scheduled pickup can also be arranged by contacting the council's contact centre on 01324 506070 with a charge of £16.20 per 240L bin.

The aim behind the introduction of the scheme is to ensure that materials collected do not contaminate others at recycling facilities and will lead to improved recycling rates.

Council officials say recycling contamination in Falkirk costs approximately £125,000 per year where waste must be sent to landfill /incineration instead of being recycled.

Explaining the importance of addressing contamination, Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn, leader of Falkirk Council, highlighted that contaminated recycling not only incurs additional disposal costs for the local authority but can also be easily avoided.

She added: “Separating recycling correctly at home is by far the easiest way to prevent contamination and help preserve the value of the material and its potential for reuse in some form. It also contributes to diverting waste and helps with our wider ambitions towards Carbon targets as well as improved recycling rates.

“This in turn helps save us money as that can be used to provide other services. Residents in the area have always been strong supporters of recycling in our area and we are very grateful for their ongoing efforts.”

But one householder questioned how the council will quantify what a low amount of wrong material.

He said: “Falkirk Council’s good ideas club is at it again. Blue bins with a “low” quantity of "wrong" material in them will be issued with an amber tag, but will still be lifted. The very next sentence states that blue or burgundy bins with “wrong” or unsafe material in them will be issued with a red tag and will not be emptied. The amount “low” is unquantifiable. I can see the binmen having roadside debates as to whether your bin warrants a red or amber card.

Full information on how the initiative will work as well as advice and guides to recycling is available here