HOUSEHOLDERS and businesses in the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area are being urged to get involved in helping to cut waste, increase recycling and make waste financial savings.

Fife Council is writing a new waste strategy for the region, and this is an important opportunity for people to get involved.

Have your say! Complete the online survey on the future of recycling and waste at www.fifedirect.org.uk/dontwasteit

Last year, Fife Council landfilled 112,000 tonnes of waste, costing over £9.5 million. Because of legislative changes and a forthcoming landfill ban on all biodegradable waste, by 2021, the costs may be 50% greater.

The survey form for people, communities and businesses to input, comment and add ideas to the 6 main themes of the draft strategy, is available at www.fifedirect.org.uk/dontwasteit

The survey is seeking feedback on a range of pressing issues:

How are we going to reduce our waste in Fife?

Who is responsible for waste?

How can we get the right recycling materials in the right bins?

How do we minimise the environmental impacts of waste?

How will we dispose of non-recyclable waste after 2021?

Fife’s current recycling rate is 55% and a further 4% of waste is diverted through energy recovery. However, 41% of Fife’s waste still goes to landfill. Research reveals that a considerable amount (over 50%) of material being put into blue landfill bins could be recycled or composted.

Fife Council will also be out and about in shopping centres in December to encourage people to have their say.

Future shopping centre dates

Glenrothes Kingdom Centre, 12 December, 11-3pm

Kirkcaldy Mercat Centre, 14 December, 11-3pm

Cllr Ross Vettraino, Convener of Fife Council's Environment, Protective Services and Community Safety Committee, said: “Putting waste, which could be recycled, into the blue landfill bin is an irresponsible waste of public money. We all need to follow the lead of those people, who are already properly recycling their waste, and help develop a more circular economy – where we recycle more and reuse what we can thereby reducing waste. With the forthcoming ban on landfilling biodegradable household waste and increases in costs, waste disposal costs in Fife are set to rise from approximately £9.5 million to £15 million per year.

“Currently Fife is rated in the top 5 best performing Scottish councils for recycling, with a recycling rate of 54.7% for 2016. However, the increase in recycling rate has levelled off over the last 6 years. With an increasing population, accommodating the consequential increase in waste growth is a real challenge.

“If more waste is sent for recycling, less waste would have to be landfilled and there would be savings in Landfill tax. Reducing landfill waste means that we’ll have more money to spend on essential services, like schools and social care. I’m urging all local people to go online and have their say at www.fifedirect.org.uk/dontwasteit”

The new Resources Strategy being developed will replace the previous Zero Waste strategy and plan for Fife. The draft Resources (Waste) Strategy and the draft Environmental Impact report will be available at the same online address www.fifedirect.org.uk/dontwasteit from 15 December.

The need for a new strategy has come from a number factors: the Making things last: Circular economy strategy published by the Scottish Government last year, meeting the requirements of the national Recycling Charter, and upcoming challenges from the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012. It will set out objectives and actions to move the council to its vision of zero waste and a circular economy society over the next 10 years.