By Chala McKenna
WITH growing numbers of individuals keen to help tackle our planet’s climate change emergency, one simple commitment we can all make is to better manage the waste we produce within our own households.
This includes food waste, which is having a significant impact on our environment. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, if the Earth’s combined food waste was a country, it would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases.
Waste analysis by Albion Environmental, one of the UK’s leading consultants in the environmental sector, regularly demonstrates that as much as 30 per cent of residual waste comprises food waste. Reducing this not only saves money for households but, properly segregated, food waste can be put to effective use as fertiliser or energy production instead of being landfilled.
Here in Scotland, figures show that we can do more to improve on all areas of household recycling. Stats for 2020 show the Scottish kerbside recycling rate was 28.68 per cent – this falls to below 24% when contamination is considered.
Albion Environmental found that up to 70% of material in general waste bins could have been recycled, a move which could save each local authority at least £1m every year to spend on other local projects or infrastructure.
The Scottish Government, aware of the currently low rates, launched a £70m fund last year to help drive new innovation and improvements to recycling across the country. An uplift is essential if the Scottish Government is to deliver on its sustainability policies, including the ban on biodegradable municipal waste – which includes waste from households – from going to landfill.
Along with additional infrastructure to support wider public engagement in recycling, we should also address current inconsistencies in waste collections in different local authorities. Putting in place a unified household recycling system using the same colour-coded bins and accepting the same range of recyclable items throughout Scotland would help simplify the process and encourage higher public engagement.
There is also the need for greater investment in education and awareness. This process should begin with a much stronger focus on young school-aged children, teaching them about the hidden nature of waste and the huge benefits that recycling can bring in protecting our planet and its environment.
Even with all these extra resources in place, the onus to improve our level of domestic waste recycling ultimately falls upon us all as individuals. It’s up to each and every one of us to carry out the tasks needed to improve recycling rates. This includes gaining an understanding of what can be recycled, segregating our waste using the systems already in place, and ensuring items are suitably cleaned, where required, and fit for the recycling bin.
Scotland has made tremendous progress in household recycling over the last two decades, driven by the actions of individuals. Given the climate crisis, we now need to engage everyone in further reducing and better managing their domestic waste. As with all forms of positive change, people power will make the difference between failure and success.
Chala McKenna is a Senior Solicitor and waste management specialist at law firm Davidson Chalmers Stewart
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