Garden waste collections re-routing – Inverness and Nairn

Route optimisation

The Highland Council would like to advise their garden waste collection customers in Inverness and Nairn about potential changes to their usual collection days.   From Thursday 1 September 2022 some garden waste collection customers will see a collection day change for their brown garden waste bins.   Householders can check their garden waste collection day by visiting  www.highland.gov.uk/bindays 
 
Letters will be sent to customers who have previously purchased a permit and who will see a collection day change in the coming weeks along with their new garden waste collection calendar.  Refuse and recycling bin collections remain unaffected.
 
The changes to the collection days are being introduced so that new, more efficient and balanced routes can be mapped.   The new garden waste collection routes will help to reduce carbon emissions and improve fuel efficiency from the collection vehicles.  
 
In addition, the newly mapped routes will incorporate new housing developments within the Inverness and Nairn areas including Ardersier, Croy, Drumnadrochit, Tornagrain and Stratton with residents in these areas being able to request a garden waste collection.  The garden waste collection service has also been extended to include Bunchrew and Inchmore communities. 
 
Councillor Graham Mackenzie, Chair of the Communities and Place Committee said, “Mapping new garden waste collection routes in Inverness and Nairn is a key part of the Council’s waste strategy to ensure that we are able to continue to deliver the garden waste service in the most efficient way, to as many properties as possible, especially where we are seeing significant growth in housing developments over the coming years.”   
 
He continued, “I would urge garden waste customers in the Inverness and Nairn area to check the Council’s website for their brown bin collection day.  Please remember to put your new permits on your bins from 1 Sept and to have your bins out for 7am on your collection day.
 
“From Thursday 1 September, The Council’s Waste Aware Team will be out with the Garden Waste Collection Operatives in the Inverness and Nairn area, and will be on hand to assist householders who have a new collection day.   We would also encourage the public to help elderly neighbours or relatives to put their bin out on the correct day.”
 
The cost of a garden waste permit for the coming permit season 2022/2023 is £47.75 with the service collecting the following material in brown wheeled bins on a fortnightly basis: Grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, twigs, small branches, flowers, plants, weeds and leaves.

A new collection vehicle has been funded by The Scottish Government’s £70M Recycling Improvement Fund will provide the collections in the new housing developments within Inverness and Nairn. The fund has been set up by the Government to help increase both the quantity and quality of recycling across Scotland whilst delivering wider environmental benefits.  
 
To purchase a garden waste permit, householders can apply online 24/7 at www.highland.gov.uk/gardenwaste or call the Council’s Service Centre on 01349 886660 (Mon - Fri 9am - 4pm).
 
The service is optional, and householders are also able to take their garden waste along to their local Household Waste Recycling Centre free of charge.  
 
For more information, please visit www.highland.gov.uk/gardenwaste, e-mail recycle@highland.gov.uk or call 01349 886660.