FIFE Council's Environment, Protective Services and Community Safety Committee will consider a report on changing the way commercial waste is disposed of at household waste recycling centres such as those in Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly, at their meeting later this week (Friday).

The committee will be asked to back a set of measures to address potential legal implications for Fife Council and Fife Resource Solutions, who operate Fife's recycling centres for the Council.

Currently, commercial organisations can dispose of material at nine of Fife's eleven Household Waste Recycling Centres by purchasing a recycling ticket. Monitoring has shown that ticket holders are disposing of materials not covered by the ticket, including landfill waste, and that some commercial operators are disposing of waste at recycling centres without purchasing a ticket at all.

Cllr Ross Vettraino, convener of the committee, explained: "This misuse creates legal and financial consequences for the Council.

"We need to look at ways to reduce the subsidy that is effectively being paid for by Fife residents. It costs around £1.96m each year to operate the commercial waste service at Fife's recycling centres but only just over £94,000 is generated from the sale of recycling tickets.

"It's important that the Council explores ways to reduce the annual loss of £1.87m that is generated under the current commercial waste system, as neighbouring local authorities have. Legally, businesses must bear the cost of waste disposal and the subsidy currently being provided by Fife Council limits its ability to invest in infrastructure, make budget savings and comply with legislation".

He added: "Residents have embraced recycling and Fife now boasts one of the best household recycling rates in the country.

"It's important that they do not foot the bill for commercial companies illegally making use of the service. Considering this report will progress that discussion and help Fife Resource Solutions to set their approach."

The report seeks approval on three staged measures to:

implement policies and procedures on commercial access to recycling centres including automatic number plate recognition and height barriers to help monitor and control commercial usage; use data collected to address potential misuse by commercial customers where identified

subsequently carry out a review of the existing recycling ticket system, which has been in place for ten years, with the aim of ensuring it is fit for purpose and recovering service costs.

Should the report be approved, the current recycling ticket scheme will remain in place at no extra cost whilst the measures are implemented. It is estimated that the first two measures will be completed in around six months.