Scottish Borders Council has launched an online portal and announced a plan for an app to help residents manage their waste and recycling effectively.
It has taken the step as part of a one-year trial following a waste and recycling survey in 2022 that showed 53% of respondents said they had thrown items into their general waste bin because they were unsure if it could be recycled.
The new tools include a waste collection calendar, on which users can input their address to find recycling days, and a function to chuck which items can and cannot be recycled at the kerbside. The latter covers hundreds of different products and is aimed at increasing recycling rates.
There is also a game to educate residents about what can be recycled locally.
Other features include collection day reminders and service alerts on any disruptions via email.
The app is due to become available within a few weeks.
Right things, right bins
Ross Sharp-Dent, waste and passenger transport manager at Scottish Borders Council, said: “In an effort to increase our recycling levels and reduce any unnecessary waste, bringing all the most important and relevant waste and recycling information together in one digital toolkit will make it easier for Borderers to stay on top of their collections and ensure the right things are going into the right bins.
“Research has shown that 75% of what goes in the average general waste bin could be recycled. Through this one-year trial we can help to lower this number by educating and informing residents around what can and cannot be recycled whilst helping them manage their collections more efficiently.
“We want to build on our reputation as being one of the leading councils in Scotland for recycling rates and the new digital tools launched today will help us along on that journey.”
