Council scraps waste collection

West Lothian businesses will have to pay to have their rubbish collected after council bosses decided to scrap the service.

West Lothian Council said commercial collections will stop from April 1.

Local businesses will be able to recycle for free at local recycling centres.

Currently commercial operators are not permitted to dispose of any waste at the centres but changes to the rules will allow local businesses to recycle certain materials free of charge from April 1, using a new pass.

West Lothian Council is facing an estimated budget gap of £65 million between 2017/ 18 and 2022/ 23 as a result of Scottish Government funding not being enough to meet increased costs.

A letter sent out by the council to local businesses said: “The council will no longer operate a commercial waste service from April 1.

“This means that the council will no longer empty your organisation’s refuse and recycling bins.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.”

The letter continued: “You will need to make arrangements to have your refuse and recycling collected once the council’s commercial waste collection service ceases.”

A council spokesperson said: “We have notified all the businesses affected that the council will no longer operate a commercial waste collection service from April 1, 2019.

“Businesses affected need to make arrangements to have their refuse and recycling collected by a private waste collection service.

“A list of local companies with a waste management licence that can accept waste is available at www. west lothian. gov.uk/ trade-wasterecycling.

“From April 1 local businesses and traders will be able to get a business recycling access pass, which allows them take key recyclable materials only, such as glass, paper and cardboard, to our five recycling centres free of charge on weekdays.

“This aims to support local businesses and reduce flytipping in the community, as it is estimated that around 80 per cent of fly-tipping in West Lothian is commercial-related.

“Commercial operators can obtain a business recycling access pass free from the council, with details already provided to existing customers.”

Businesses need to make arrangements