Food recycling update

A number of constituents have asked the position regarding the possible restoration of the food recycling service.

The council’s Head of Environment has updated me as follows :

“At the present time we are unable to recommence with the re-introduction of food waste collections, due to having to utilise available staff resources in order to ensure that the other collections are maintained. Unfortunately, the requirement to ensure safe physical distancing into waste collection operations slows down the collection operation significantly and requires more vehicles, staff and time to complete daily routes.

In order to reintroduce food waste collections, there is a similar requirement to allocate specific resources and to introduce engineering controls within cabs of the Refuse Collection Vehicles. Similar to many other local authorities, we are not yet in a position to return to regular collections of all waste streams at this time.

However, please be assured that my waste team are working hard to look at ways that we can re-introduce food waste collections over the coming months and I will provide you with more detail when I am able to update you further.”

Update about recycling centres

From the City Council :

Dundee City Council is to expand its recycling service to residents by extending operating hours and accepting more waste materials.

From Monday 22nd June, residents will have to access Baldovie Household Waste Recycling Centre from 9am to 8pm from Monday to Friday, and 9am to 5pm on the weekends. The Riverside recycling centre will also expand hours to 9am to 5pm daily.

The facilities will begin accepting clothing & textiles, batteries, fluorescent tubes, oil, TV’s & monitors, soil and turf in addition to the previous materials, such as general waste, garden waste, wood, metals, rubble, fridges & freezers, and gas cylinders & bottles.

Additional vehicles will be granted access to the centres from Monday if they have the relevant permit. This will include vans, pick-ups, 8 to 11 seated mini-buses and vehicles with a single-axle trailer being accepted on site.

The revised service comes as the Council continues its recovery phase from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Household Waste Recycling Centres will maintain its strict guidelines and physical distancing at all times.

A number of rules must be followed in order to maintain a safe and controlled environment.

These include :

• Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or self-isolating should NOT visit any HWRC site;

• The number of cars on site will be strictly limited;

• No commercial vans or twin-axle trailers will be allowed;

• Individuals should only visit when necessary, avoid queues and consider revisiting when quieter;

• No business waste will be accepted;

• We will be unable to provide assistance on site so only load items you can unload yourself;

• No walk-in disposals of waste will be allowed;

• The two-metre physical distancing rule must be respected at all times.

Further guidance on the Household Waste Recycling Centres is available on the Dundee City Council website here.

Residents are advised to check the website and social media channels before traveling, as rules are subject to change.

Recycle your Christmas tree!

♻️🎄If you have a real Christmas tree,

please remember to recycle it! ♻️🎄

The City Council has published some helpful advice about recycling your Christmas tree.

You can read this here.

Recycling changes from next Monday #dundeewestend

I have now spoken with many residents in the areas of the West End affected by the recycling changes from 16th April.

The only parts of the ward unaffected are the streets around the West End Lanes and Perth Road area closest to the lanes as they were in the last phase of the recycling rollout last year and already on the revised recycling arrangements.

The rest of the West End Ward was covered by the original Phase 1 and 2 recycling rollouts in 2015 so are affected because of the introduction of the Scottish Government’s Code of Practice (in relation to what can be recycled together) so the household system will change for everyone in Phases 1 and 2,

So from the 16th paper/card = blue bin; tins/plastics = burgundy bin. Burgundy bin will no longer be used for glass which will be recycled at neighbourhood “bring” sites and not at a household level. Along with Bill, I met with environment officers to discuss the siting of the glass “bring sites” – I am anxious that these are sensitively sited away from residents’ homes. If any of the sites cause complaints or problems after 16th April, the officers assure me that they will be re-sited or removed,

I was pleased to discuss issues with residents at the “drop in” event the council’s Neighbourhood Services held at Blackness Library and happy to discuss the matter further with any resident.

You can read more about the changes here.

Recycling changes – drop in events #dundeewestend

Further to my recent update about recycling changes in much of the West End other than the Perth Road Lanes area, this is just a reminder that the first drop in information session event for the West End is tomorrow.

Here’s our local details and a poster below – all welcome!

Blackness Library 19th March 4.30pm to 6.30pm

Tesco Riverside 29th March 12 noon to 3pm