Changes being introduced at Aberdeenshire household recycling centres
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Aberdeenshire Council will be introducing changes to the current household recycling centre limit scheme on August 1.
The pandemic-related limit on visits by car, which is currently eight visits per four weeks, will also be removed.
Cars and mobility adapted vehicles will now have unlimited access to the sites, but will still be required to book a slot.
The booking system will remain in place for all residents who wish to use the sites, regardless of vehicle type.
The current scheme, which was implemented in April this year, places restrictions on commercial-type vehicles entering recycling centres.
This approach was introduced in an effort to divert business waste from the sites, allowing more space for domestic recyclable materials and thereby improving services for householders.
After conducting a review of the system, the council is listening to public feedback and implementing the following changes at recycling centres:
- The number of visits permitted for domestic-style pick-ups will become unlimited, unless they are using a trailer. A domestic-style pick-up and trailer combination will now be permitted 24 visits per year in line with the existing trailer allowances.
- The size of admissible trailers will increase from 8 feet (2.5 metres) to 10 feet (3 metres).
- Car-derived van and trailer combinations will now be permitted at all centres.
Aberdeenshire Council’s waste manager, Ros Baxter, said: “We have listened carefully to the comments made by our communities and have amended the current approach in response to their feedback.
“Whilst we continue to pursue our objective of increasing recycling rates, diverting business waste from recycling centres has not changed and certain controls continue to be required to achieve this.
"However, we will continue to listen to the feedback from householders and keep this system under review.”
Businesses continue to be asked to use the council’s waste transfer stations at Ellon, Macduff and Crow’s Nest, Banchory. These sites have the appropriate facilities to allow business customers to pay by weight for their recycling and non-recyclable waste using chip and pin technology.
While most businesses follow the correct protocols and dispose of their waste and recycling lawfully, it would appear that some businesses have continued to bring their waste to recycling centres to avoid processing and disposal fees.
Prior to the introduction of the limit system, as much as 20 per cent of the waste taken to recycling centres was believed to be business waste – costing Aberdeenshire taxpayers up to £500,000 a year for disposal. The limit scheme was implemented to tackle this abuse of household services.
Information on the new limit system, including frequently asked questions, is available on www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/recyclingcentrelimits
To book a slot at a household recycling centre visit www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/waste/recycling/book-recycling-centre-visit
Information on the trade waste collection service provided by the council to businesses across Aberdeenshire is available at http://bit.ly/TradeRec
