Residents get green light for recycling

Renfrewshire residents are helping to do their bit to improve recycling, according to the latest figures.

A report by the Scotland Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has found that in 2016, 61 per cent of all waste collected in Scotland is now going to recycling, composting and re-use.

That’s more than half a million tonnes more than in 2015.

The total amount of waste generated in Scotland fell by more than half a million tonnes since 2015, with Scotland achieving the lowest quantity of waste being landfilled since 2011 – a 10.5 per cent decrease from 2015.

Terry A’Hearn, chief executive of SEPA, said:“Recycling is a real Scottish success story and a simple daily step that communities, corner shops or corporates can take to build a more sustainable Scotland.

“The scale of the environmental challenge is enormous and we know we live on one planet, but consume the resources of three.

“The most successful countries in the 21st century will be resource efficient, circular economies, where what once was waste is valued as a resource.

“We are committed to helping all regulated businesses do more to support waste prevention and facilitate the use of secondary resources in the economy, helping communities and businesses thrive within the resources of our planet.”