Tag: recycling

Barratt Developments branches out with Edinburgh Zoo ‘tree-cycle’

Barratt Developments East Scotland has partnered with Edinburgh Zoo to recycle and donate felled trees from its upcoming Livingston development. 

Barratt Developments East Scotland – which includes Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes – has donated 21 felled trees from its recently acquired Houston Road site, Woodland Gait, which will launch later this year. 

The trees were removed due to them being in a poor condition, creating public safety concerns, or because they were low quality with low biodiversity benefits.  

Following the tree removals, Barratt Developments will plant approximately 152 new trees across the site to support local wildlife.

In line with its approved landscape strategy, the new tree species include Rowan and Hazel, as well as other native species.

A robust landscape strategy has been approved for the Houston Road development, including native planting and various biodiverse elements such as the installation of hedgehog highways, along with bird and bat boxes.  

Following the donation, Edinburgh Zoo, which is operated by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), will repurpose the trees, with a significant portion being distributed to the Zoo’s resident giraffes, which consume an average of 75kg of plant matter every day. 

Larger branches and trunks will also be used as climbing structures and apparatus within the ape and giant panda enclosures, enriching the animals’ habitat experiences. Meanwhile, designated portions of the trees, such as trunk bases and off-cuts, will undergo natural decomposition processes, attracting insects which are ideal for the dietary needs of Giant Anteaters. 

The distribution of the repurposed trees across the diverse animal habitats within the zoo will help to ensure that there will be minimal waste, building on both Barratt Developments’ and Edinburgh Zoo’s shared commitment to sustainable practices and lowering carbon footprints.  

Jason Watt, Technical Director at Barratt Developments East Scotland, said: “We’re proud to be supporting Edinburgh Zoo with the donation of trees from our new Livingston development on Houston Road.

“Not only does this partnership support our sustainability commitments, it will also be beneficial to the animals and their enclosures. 

“Looking forward, we hope to continue to support Edinburgh Zoo’s mission of fostering an appreciation for wildlife and habitat conservation.” 

Robert Harden, Head Gardener at Edinburgh Zoo, said: “We were delighted to accept the offer of trees and branches from Barratt’s new site in Livingston.

“We have since used the material as a source of food, branching and perching for the animals, and what was left after chipping has been used as a mulch for feeding the willows and growing on site for the giraffes. 

“We pride ourselves with not only trying to educate and preserve endangered species of animals but also to try and work in tandem with the landscape environment itself. That’s why every bit of material that we received from Barratt has and will be used to benefit the animals and the growing environment.” 

For more information on Barratt Homes in Scotland, visit: barratthomes.co.uk/new-homes/scotland-east/  

Simpler bin collections for England to boost recycling

New approach puts an end to confusing recycling and excessive bins

A new, common-sense approach to recycling will make bin day simpler and boost recycling rates for the nation, Recycling Minister Robbie Moore announced today (9 May).

New simpler recycling collections will see the same materials collected from homes, workplaces and schools, ending the confusing patchwork of different approaches across England.

Today the Westminstergovernment has set out how the drive to better and simpler recycling will work, listening to councils who want to avoid streets cluttered with bins while doing what is best for the local community.

Councils in England will be allowed to collect plastic, metal, glass, paper and card in one bin in all circumstances. Similarly, food and garden waste will also be allowed to be co-collected.

This will reduce confusion over what items can be recycled, as people will no longer have to check what their specific council will accept for recycling. It will also reduce complexity for councils and other waste collectors, ensuring they retain the flexibility to collect recyclable waste in the most appropriate way for their local areas.

Additionally, the UK Government is supporting more frequent and comprehensive bin collections. A minimum backstop means councils will be expected to collect black bin waste at least fortnightly, alongside weekly food waste collections.

This will stop the trend – seen outside England – towards three-weekly or four-weekly bin collections. Councils are also being actively encouraged to make collections even more frequent, to prevent smelly waste from building up outside homes.

Together, these new proposals will ensure regular and simpler bin collections from people’s homes across England – making recycling simpler for everyone.

Recycling Minister Robbie Moore said: “We all want to do our bit to increase recycling and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill – but a patchwork of different bin collections across England means it can be hard to know what your council will accept.

“Our plans for Simpler Recycling will end that confusion: ensuring that the same set of materials will be collected regardless of where you live.”

Paul Vanston, CEO of the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (INCPEN), said: “Householders can take this government announcement as a pledge that, wherever we live across the nation, our local councils will all speedily implement recycling collections of the full range of materials that will match on-pack recycling labels citizens rely on for guidance.

“Those paying the very substantial costs for councils’ local packaging recycling services – especially citizens, brands and retailers – can rightly set high benchmarks of great customer service, superb packaging recycling performance and demonstrable value-for-money being achieved everywhere.”

The plans will apply to all homes in England, including flats. Similar measures will apply to non-household municipal premises, including businesses, hospitals, schools and universities.

As well as these developments, the list of premises in scope of these requirements has been expanded. Places of worship, penal institutes, charity shops, hostels and public meeting places will all come under the scope of the Simpler Recycling regulations.

This update builds on wider efforts to increase recycling and reduce waste. New restrictions on single-use plastic plates, trays, bowls, cutlery, balloon sticks, expanded and extruded polystyrene food and drinks containers came into force on 1 October 2023 in order to reduce plastic pollution and keep streets clean.

The Westminster government is also moving forward with the implementation of a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers and our Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for packaging to boost recycling and clamp down on plastic pollution and litter. 

At the beginning of 2024 it confirmed that disposable vapes will be banned in the UK to protect children’s health and tackle the environmental impact of these items.

The UK parliament has already introduced a ban on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products, restrictions on the supply of single-use plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds, and our world-leading Plastic Packaging Tax.

Meanwhile, the single-use plastic carrier bag charge has successfully cut sales by over 97% in the main supermarkets.

Council cash for polystyrene recycling

The City of Edinburgh Council has been awarded £19,000 to support the recycling of Expanded Polystyrene at Household Recycling Centres.

The £70 million Recycling Improvement Fund (RIF) was launched by the Scottish Government in 2021 to provide grants to local authorities for improving recycling infrastructure and services. The Council has been awarded funding under the Small Grants Scheme which is targeted at strengthening local authority collection systems.

Following successful trials at our three household waste recycling centres (Seafield, Craigmillar, Sighthill), the funding will support the continued collection of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS).

EPS, a lightweight foam material, is rarely recycled and would otherwise need to be disposed of by energy recovery, which involves burning the waste at high temperatures.

The funding will see the creation of an external storage area at one of the council sites which will be more space efficient and help to make the collection permanent.

Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Committee Convener, said: “I’m delighted that we’ve secured essential funding to improve our recycling services. As Scotland’s capital, we’re determined to play our part in the global fight against climate change by managing waste in the most sustainable way possible.

“Our target to be a net-zero city by 2030 is bold and ambitious but we’re continuing to make progress. Recycling is something we can all do to help Edinburgh reduce its emissions and create a healthier planet for ourselves and future generations.

“We must work together with the Scottish Government to achieve our shared ambitions and support both Edinburgh and Scotland’s transition to net-zero.”

Zero Waste Scotland’s Recycling Improvement Fund Manager David Gunn said: “We’re proud to be working with the Scottish Government to support the City of Edinburgh Council to access Recycling Improvement Fund grants and to work with them to successfully implement their project.

“By recycling as much as possible, we can all help reduce carbon emissions, tackle climate change, and ease the pressure placed on the planet.

“The council’s award will help improve its recycling infrastructure and services, benefitting residents and taking Scotland forward on its journey to becoming a circular economy.”

 Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “Recycling has a huge role to play in Scotland’s response to the climate crisis.

“Since launching in 2021, hundreds of thousands of people across the country have benefitted from projects supported through our £70 million Recycling Improvement Fund – one of the biggest investments in a generation to modernise recycling in Scotland.

“I am delighted that this latest round of funding will make it easier for many more households across Scotland to recycle their waste, boosting local recycling rates.”

Views sought on transitioning to a circular economy

Increasing recycling and reuse of resources

Proposals to increase reuse and recycling and cut waste are being put forward as part of a consultation.

Reducing single-use, disposable items like cups, banning the destruction of unsold goods and promoting the reuse of construction materials are just some of the actions being suggested as part of the draft Circular Economy and Waste Route Map consultation.

Over the past ten years, the total amount of waste going to landfill in Scotland has dropped by over a third, with the most recent official statistics showing that Scotland met its 2025 target to reduce all waste by 15%.

Following an initial consultation in 2022, the new route map sets out a plan for new, national reuse and recycling targets along with priority actions needed between now and the end of the decade to help drive Scotland’s transition to a circular economy.

The actions complement provisions in the draft Circular Economy Bill which is currently at stage 1 in Parliament and include proposals for the creation of local recycling targets, reflecting the success of Wales which has one of the highest household recycling rates in the world.

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “We have already made good progress across Scotland, significantly reducing the amount of waste we generate and landfill, but we need to go further if reusing and recycling goods is to become the default choice for households, businesses and the public sector.

“For people to do the right thing for the planet, it is crucial  that everyone experiences a modern, easy to use waste service. This second consultation sets out our priority actions and the tools we will put in place to help everyone play their part in cutting waste and capitalising on the economic opportunities that a circular economy presents to businesses. I urge everyone to take part.”

The second consultation on the Circular Economy and Waste Route Map is available on the Scottish Government website and will run until 15 March.

20,000 and counting: Edinburgh Remakery’s milestone moment

🎉🌟 Exciting Milestone Alert! 🌟🎉

Momentous Moments can sometimes pass you by without pause, but we do want to shout about this one. The Edinburgh Remakery has just refurbished its 20,000th piece of tech in the span of 10 incredible years! 🛠️✨

Amazing, considering that our Tech Team consisted of just one individual at the beginning! Their drive and determination have propelled this project into what it is today – a team of six, working hard to refurbish the donated tech for sale (at very affordable prices) and for gifting to people facing digital poverty. It’s a brilliant testament to sustainability and innovation. 🌏♻️

What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that each of these 20,000 refurbished items has been given a new lease on life, extending their usability and diverting them from the clutches of landfill. 💪✨ Every refurbished piece represents a step towards a greener and more sustainable future. 🌱

A huge shoutout to the entire Tech Team for their continued hard work, dedication, and belief in the power of refurbishment. 🙌👏 Let’s celebrate this milestone and continue to drive change towards a more eco-friendly world. Together, we can make a difference, one refurbished tech item at a time! 🌟🌍💚

#Sustainability

#EdinburghRemakery

#MilestoneAchievement

#RepairReuseRelove

#wastelesslivemore

#remakeadifference

Recycle your tech for a good cause


Edinburgh residents are being encouraged to hand in their unwanted laptops and other tech to be refurbished & repaired for reuse as well as being passed on to people who suffer who digital poverty.

The Council has partnered with the Edinburgh Remakery, an award-winning social enterprise committed to diverting waste from landfill and promoting a culture of repair and reuse, to help to make this happen.

Three tech donation centres have been set up at the following locations: 

  • 13 Sept – 16 Oct : Central Library
  • 17 Oct – 20 Nov : Wester Hailes Library
  • 21 Nov – 13 Dec : South East Locality Office

So far, the Edinburgh Remakery has helped more than 400 people out of digital poverty by donating tech to them through their Tech Gifting Programme.

Council Leader Cammy Day said: “The idea is to make it as easy as possible for anyone to pass on their unwanted technology instead of throwing it away.

“An estimated 24 million old smartphones are kept as ‘spares’ in homes across the UK in cupboards or drawers so I’d encourage everyone across the city to have a clear out where you can and donate your old phones or other tech items to those on low incomes who really need them.

“This project is also about tackling electronic waste, which is one of the fastest-growing and most polluting waste streams in the UK.”

Chief Executive Officer the Edinburgh Remakery Elaine Brown said: “We are delighted that our tech Donation Boxes will be hosted in the three libraries. 

!The impact your donations will make cannot be underestimated.  Together we can contribute to the city’s ambitious net zero targets, ensure that tech can get a new lease of life and prevent valuable, finite resources going to landfill. 

“In addition, we will be able to give the gift of connectivity to people in our community experiencing digital poverty. Together we can Waste less and Live More!” 

Through their activities, the Edinburgh Remakery estimated that they saved 83,087kg (CO2e) in CO2 emissions in 2022 – equivalent to 100 million smartphones being fully charged, or 1,400 trees grown for 10 years.

What you can donate:

  • Laptops and Macbooks
  • Tablets and iPads
  • Smart phones
  • DSLR cameras
  • General cables
  • Chargers
  • Headphones
  • Routers
  • Smart watches
  • Peripherals, such as keyboards, webcams, and mice.

Further information 

Bin man turned drag queen adds sparkle to Edinburgh streets

As Edinburgh enters its busiest summer festival season since the Covid pandemic, a Cheshire bin man has brought his extravagant performance to the capital to support keeping the streets clean.

To celebrate (?) the City of Edinburgh Council announcing the deployment of additional waste and cleansing resources over August in the city centre, Joe Leather treated Council Leader Cammy Day, cleansing staff and passers-by to a lively performance yesterday.

And Joe was very vocal in getting behind the message ‘bin your litter or take it home with you’ to make sure the world’s festival city is kept looking its best for residents, businesses and visitors this summer.

An additional team of 15 cleansing staff are now out in force targeting the busiest streets in the city centre each day. The 350 litter bins across the city centre will continue to be emptied overnight and there will also be a dedicated vehicle with cleansing crew emptying litter bins during the day.

In addition to this, an extra four waste vehicles will be out clearing up any areas where waste has built up and extra litter bins have been placed in busy ‘hot spot’ areas at Cockburn Street, High Street and the top of the Mound.

The Council also works with Out of Hand to make sure areas in the city centre outside the pedestrianised section of the High Street, looked after by the Fringe, has managed advertising space and is kept clear of fliers and other litter.

Alongside this, temporary changes have been made to some road layouts in the Old Town to create a safer, more inviting atmosphere for residents and visitors. By making it easier and safer to walk, wheel and cycle on key streets in the area during the busy festival period this will reduce pressure caused by increased footfall. This builds on the successful pedestrianisation of Cockburn Street and Victoria Street as part of Travelling Safely.

This year the Council has also brought back the popular ‘We’ll bin our jokes, if you bin your litter’ campaign, which urges residents and visitors to help keep the Capital city in shape.

Council Leader Cammy Day said: “It was great to meet Joe and get a sneak preview of one of the acts which will bring colour and culture to the streets of the Capital in the coming weeks as the festival season gets into full swing.

“This is our first restriction-free summer festival season since the Covid pandemic and there’s already a fantastic buzz building across Edinburgh. We’re also hosting a leg of the UCI World Championships road race and with all this activity it will be great to see residents and visitors out and about, soaking up the sights and sounds, and maybe some sun!

“That’s why we’re deploying extra waste and cleansing staff and I’d like to thank them as well as those from the Fringe, Out of Hand and other partners who will be working tirelessly in the background day and night to make sure Edinburgh continues to look its best. It’s important to recognise that we all have a part to play in keeping Edinburgh clean and I would ask you all to take pride in your city by binning your litter or taking it home.

“If you’ve larger items always remember to use our special uplift service or book an appointment at one of our Household Waste Recycling Centres to dispose of your waste responsibly. And if the weather improves and you’re out enjoying the sunshine and having a barbecue, please remember to protect the grass in our parks and other open spaces.”

Circular Economy Bill published

New powers will reduce waste and grow green economy

New legislation will create the tools to tackle waste and increase reuse and recycling rates.

The Circular Economy Bill will give Ministers powers to:

  • Set local recycling targets, building on the experience of Wales, which has the best recycling rate in the UK
  • Set statutory targets for delivery of a circular economy to measure progress in reducing waste and the nation’s carbon footprint
  • Ban the disposal of unsold consumer goods, to prevent good products ending up in landfill
  • Place charges on single-use items like coffee cups to encourage the move to reusable alternatives

Local authorities will be given additional enforcement powers, allowing them to crack down on flytipping and littering from cars.

The Scottish Government will also work with local authorities to co-design an updated national Code of Practice for household waste recycling, to improve consistency of services and increase the quality and quantity of recycling collected.

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “I want everyone in the country to experience a modern, easy to use waste service that makes it easy for people to do the right thing for the planet.

“The Circular Economy Bill with give local Councils and the Scottish Government the powers they need to transform our economy and tackle throwaway culture.

“Of course, the best way of tackling waste is to not create it in the first place. There are huge economic opportunities in the circular economy and we have already seen businesses in Scotland creating jobs by turning what we might otherwise throw away into valuable new products and services.

“This legislation will support the growth of more green businesses and community organisations while cutting waste and climate emissions.”

Campaigners say that the new circular economy bill, which has been introduced to the Scottish Parliament yesterday could significantly reduce Scotland’s global climate impact by changing the way we use materials, but must be strengthened to do so.

A circular economy is when materials are reused and recycled as much as possible before new resources are taken from nature, as opposed to our current linear ‘take, make, dispose’ model. It is a vital step in creating the transformation needed to reduce Scotland’s impact on the climate.

Scotland consumed 72 million tonnes of material in 2018, which is 19 tonnes of material per person on average. Experts have stated that it is possible to live sustainable, high-quality lives on a material footprint of eight tonnes of materials per person per year.

84% of Scotland’s carbon footprint comes from the products and services we buy. If the law is passed, ministers will be able to introduce targets to reduce our overall consumption, and the impact of the goods we do need to use.

The environmental and social damage caused overseas by demand for goods in Scotland is not addressed in Scotland’s existing climate targets, which focus on reducing domestic emissions.

This means that around half of Scotland’s emissions, and wider environmental impacts of our consumption, are effectively “offshored” to other countries. This would change if consumption targets were brought in under the new circular economy law.

This measure has significant public support, with 86% of respondents to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the circular economy bill calling for the introduction of consumption targets.

The circular economy law will also:
– Establish a circular economy strategy
– Ban the disposal of unsold consumer goods
– Bring in new fines for households failing to recycle
– Place charges on single-use items

Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “This new law has the potential to make a big difference to Scotland’s impact on the planet.

“The climate crisis is a global problem, so we need to take responsibility for the impact which happens outside of our borders due to our consumption of materials. It’s encouraging that the draft bill allows for consumption reduction targets to be set, and we urge the Scottish Parliament to go further and ensure that strong targets are brought in on the face of the bill.

“Moving to a circular economy is about much more than just improving our recycling. Strong consumption targets would mean policies to encourage producers to make products last for longer, ensure they are easy to repair, choose lower carbon materials, and to shift consumption patterns away from carbon intensive goods and services goods and services. With the right policies, circular economy measures will also create thousands of decent green jobs in Scotland.

“The Scottish Parliament must be bold and decisive to create the change the threat of climate breakdown demands. We need to see MSPs from all parties working together to ensure the Circular Economy Bill is a strong as possible.

“We can reduce our climate emissions and tackle the global ecological crisis by extracting fewer resources; shifting to a circular economy by properly valuing materials, and reusing and recycling is central to this.”

On the introduction of a new fixed penalty regime for households, Ms Pratt continued: “Measures to make products more sustainable and improved recycling systems available to everyone in Scotland must be prioritised over penalties for households.

“Responsibility lies first with producers to reduce the impact of the products on our shelves and make it possible for people to do the right thing.”

Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill

Scotland recycling less waste and sending more to incineration, latest SEPA stats reveal

New statistics reveal that Scotland recycled less and sent more waste to incineration in 2021 than 2018. SEPA did not publish complete datasets for 2019 or 2020 because of the cyber-attack on the organisation.

The total amount of waste fell, probably in response to the fall in economic activity during the pandemic.

Waste statistics published today (28 March) by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) show that in 2021:

+ The total amount of waste generated in Scotland was 9.6 million tonnes;

+ 56% of this waste was recycled, a fall from 2018 when 60% of waste recycled;

+ This reduction means almost 1.5 million tonnes less of Scottish waste was recycled;

+ Incineration rose 14.6% compared to 2019 and the amount of waste burned tripled over 10 years

+ The amount of waste sent to landfill also increased by 0.4% from 2019.

Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland said: “This is the first time in three years that we have seen a snapshot of Scotland’s waste trends and the picture is extremely concerning.

“A fall in economic activity in the pandemic may have led to a short term drop in the amount of waste Scotland produces but this is likely to rise again once activity resumes.

“Despite the pandemic reducing overall waste levels, the amount of waste burned continues to rise and has tripled in just ten years. The moratorium on new incineration was a vital first step to reverse this trend but these statistics show it is not enough and must now be backed up with a ban on burning plastics and a phase out plan for existing incinerators. However, rather than closing incinerators, projects which already had planning permission are allowed to start operating and are receiving funding. This needs to stop now.

“Scotland must transform the way it uses materials and waste less to reduce our impact on the planet. It’s vital more is done to prevent valuable reusable or recyclable materials burning in incinerators or ending up in landfill. Ensuring waste is not created in the first place is the best way to reduce its environmental impacts, and if waste is created, we must recycle as much of it as possible.”

The Scottish Government published the second and final part of its independent review on incineration in February 2023. The review recommended that the Scottish Government should introduce a ban on burning plastics by 2030. The Scottish Government has not yet responded to these recommendations.

The NESS incinerator in Aberdeen was given Scottish Government funding in November 2022, six months after the first independent review on incineration was published. Despite construction problems and local communities voicing concern, the NESS incinerator begun burning waste in 2023.

Earlier this month it was revealed that, rather than treating the toxic bottom ash produced by the incinerator locally as planned, the operators are sending it over 100 miles to Fife.

Drinks producers urged to register for deposit return scheme

First Minister calls on businesses to sign up

The First Minister has encouraged drinks producers to register for Scotland’s deposit return scheme, which will go live on 16 August 2023.

Drinks producers are asked to register with the scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland, in order to participate in the recycling scheme and to help ensure that they meet their regulatory requirements.

The scheme is expected to cut littering by a third, reducing the amount spent by local authorities on litter clean up, and will increase recycling rates of single-use drinks containers from the current rate of approximately 50% towards 90%.

The First Minister has also written today to the UK Prime Minister, reiterating that the UK Government must exclude the deposit return scheme regulations from the Internal Market Act. The Scottish Government first requested an exclusion in July 2021.

The First Minister said: “Scotland’s deposit return scheme will be a major part of our efforts to reduce litter, cut emissions and build a greener, more circular economy. Good progress is being made by industry ahead of the scheme’s introduction on 16 August, and I am aware of the significant private investment that has already been made by many businesses to be ready for the scheme, and the many jobs that are being created to operate it.

“I would strongly encourage drinks producers to register with the scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland. This is a vital step to ensuring everyone who needs to be is compliant with the regulations and is the best way to make sure that their products can be sold without issue in Scotland.

“I also want to reassure drinks producers with concerns about the impact of the scheme. SEPA has made clear that they will take a proportionate approach to compliance. They will work with businesses to help them get ready – advice and guidance, not fines, will be the first step for any business that is clearly taking action but struggling to meet their obligations.

“The Scottish Government will continue to listen to the concerns of small producers and will consider if there is any further action we can take to support them ahead of the scheme going live.”