Local volunteers needed to support new call to ‘Recycle for Scotland’
Issued in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland
A fresh Recycle for Scotland initiative to encourage people in the Highlands to increase the area’s recycling rate has prompted a call for more local volunteers.
Working in partnership with The Highland Council and Zero Waste Scotland, local volunteers from RoWAN Group in the Highlands will be holding events across the Highlands, and providing help to householders in a bid to help people to save money, reduce waste and recycle as much as possible.
Recycle for Scotland is a new Scottish scheme to help inform people about what products can and should be recycled. It will encourage people to look for the recycling stamp found on the labels of many well-known products, and help them to recycle more by following the guidance. Additional recycling tips can also be found at www.recycleforscotland.com.
Today volunteers were joined by Councillor Brian Murphy, Vice Chairman of the Council’s TEC Services Committee which backs Recycle for Scotland as a tool to help the Council communicate how easy and important it is for householders to recycle more.
Margie Hemingway, Zero Waste Scotland’s Volunteer Co-ordinator with RoWAN, said:
“Recycle for Scotland aims to make it easier for people to recycle more. Simply visit www.recycleforscotland.com to find out more.
“Ultimately, we aim to boost the Highland’s recycling rates. This is important for Scotland as a nation as it ensures we capture valuable materials for reprocessing rather than sending them to landfill.
“We already have 25 volunteers but the more people we have, the more help we can provide to people in their local community. We provide training and support and in return volunteers commit to giving a few hours a month. It’s a great way to meet people with similar interests, learn or keep up job skills, have fun and do something for your community and environment. We need help to spread the word about how easy it is to reduce waste and recycle more.
Councillor Brian Murphy said: “It’s now easier than ever for Highland residents to recycle key recyclable materials such as paper, card, plastic bottles and metal food and drink containers either through the kerbside collection service or by utilising containers at their local recycling points and recycling centres where there are facilities for recycling glass, textiles and much more.
“Reducing the amount of waste we send to landfill is a key focus for our council and this is demonstrated by the ongoing success from the rollout of the Alternate Weekly collection service currently underway. Around 60,000 households now receive the AWC service and by July 2012 almost every household in the Highlands will be receiving a kerbside recycling service of mixed dry recyclate.
“Through these collections the Highland community has already responded well to the council’s recycling message by providing the council with high quality recyclate. It is encouraging to have an active group of local volunteers working in their communities with council staff to help people reduce waste and recycle even more than they are at present. It’s vital that everyone plays their part to help Scotland become a zero waste society.”
For more information on volunteering opportunities in your area, contact RoWAN on 01349 867063 or 07730208850, email zerowastevolunteers@rowan.org.uk or visit www.rowan.org.uk.
Zero Waste Scotland has been set up by the Scottish Government to support the delivery of its Zero Waste Plan, which aims to set Scotland on track to achieve a 70% recycling rate by 2025.
- ends -