A Kerbside recycling collection is currently delivered to about 70% of households in the Highland Council area. The Council collect from around 68,500 properties and GREAN (Golspie Recycling and Environmental Network) collect from an additional 3000 houses on behalf of the Council. This service delivered by the Council is due to be expanded thanks to an investment of £1.662M agreed by the Council's TEC Services committee in April 2008. Please click here for more details.
The current service delivered by the Council sees residents provided with a blue box to collect their paper, tins and cans (paper only in Fort William) and a brown bin to collect their garden waste for composting.
Paper, tins and cans are collected one week and garden waste is collected the following week. Householders are also provided with a kerbside recycling calendar giving their collection day.
The kerbside recycling service is delivered to major settlements in the Council's three operational areas:
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Settlements in Caithness serviced by the Council include: Wick, Staxigo, Papigoe, Milton, Haster, Keiss, Reiss, Ackergill, Thrumster, Halkirk, Thurso, Scrabster, Glengolly and Castletown.
This is augmented in Sutherland by GREAN (Golspie Recycling and Environmental Action Network) who operate a weekly kerbside recycling service in the following settlements: Brora, Donroch, Lairg, Bonar Bridge, Ardgay, Golspie and Helsmdale. Householders on the routes are provided with a blue box which should be used for paper, carboard, textiles and glass bottles and jars. Plastic bottles (caps off) and food and drink cans are also collected in the large plastic bag which is also provided. For more information on this service please call GREAN on 01408 634253.
In Easter Ross all larger settlements north of Evanton are serviced by the Council, as are the Seaboard villages.
Have a look at the Caithness and Ross-shire kerbside recycling newsletters for up to date information on your service.
Ross, Skye and and Lochaber
In Mid-Ross the following settlements receive a kerbside recycling service from the Council - Dingwall, Maryburgh, Conon Bridge, Muir of Ord, North Kessock, Munlochy, Avoch, Fortrose, Rosemarkie and Strathpeffer.
There is currently no service in Skye and Lochalsh and Fort William is the only town in Lochaber that receives the Council's kerbside recycling collections at this time.
Have a look at the Lochaber and Ross-shire kerbside recycling newsletters for up to date information on your service.
Inverness, Nairn and Badenoch and Strathspey
Most properties in Beauly and Inverness including the east Inverness settlements of Ardersier, Croy, Culloden, Smithton and Cradlehall have materials collected from their kerbside for recycling by the Council.
Almost all properties in Badenoch and Strathspey also receive this service.
Have a look at the Inverness, Nairn and Badenoch & Strathspey kerbside recycling newsletters for up to date information on your service.
For more information on Kerbside recycling in your area phone one of the following numbers or follow the Kerbside Frequently Asked Questions link opposite - "In This Section".
If you have any operational issues such as missed collections or lost or broken bins/boxes etc or would like to see if you qualify for an assisted collection please contact the Service Centre or your local office.
Caithness 01955 607171
Nairn 01667 458540
Badenoch & Strathspey 01540 664910
Inverness 01463 230634
Ross-shire 01349 868527
Lochaber 01397 709007
Skye & Lochalsh 01478 612728
Sutherland 01408 632400
General Recycling Enquiries 01349 868439
Email Address recycle@highland.gov.uk