The Highland Council Programme 2009-2011 contains within it the commitment to:
“Reduce paper use in our offices and recycle 50% by the end of 2009”
The Highland Council has over 300 premises where waste is collected, including offices, schools, care homes, depots, piers, harbours and store rooms. The amount and type of waste generated at each site varies dependent on the buildings purpose and use. The availability and frequency of waste collection services also varies dependent on the geographical location of the site.
It is recognised that there can be no “one size fits all” policy for paper recycling across Highland. Two policy documents have been produced to assist building managers and staff in implementing a paper recycling and waste minimisation programme which can be tailored to the needs of their site.
1. The Highland Council Internal Paper Recycling Policy
2. The Highland Council Waste Minimisation Policy
Both policies are available to download from the "Current Documents" section to the right.
Internal waste and associated Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions are monitored through the Highland Council Carbon Management Plan. Internal waste accounts for 6% of Highland Councils overall emissions. As the percentage of paper recycled increases and general waste is minimised, a reduction in GHG emissions can be achieved as a result of less waste being sent to landfill. Further reductions can be achieved through the implementation fo the waste minimisation policy preventing waste from being generated in the first place.