Waste and recycling (Covid)

As per government guidance, personal waste (such as used tissues) and disposable cleaning cloths can be stored securely within disposable rubbish bags. These bags should be placed into another bag, tied securely and kept separate from other waste. This should be put aside for at least 72 hours before being put in your usual external household waste bin. Other household waste can be disposed of as normal.

Dunfermline (Lochead), Glenrothes, Dalgety Bay, Kirkcaldy, Methil St Andrews and Lochgelly, Pittenweem household waste recycling centres are currently open. Strict guidelines to how recycling centres are run are in place to keep local people and staff safe. For more information see: www.fife.gov.uk/recyclingcentres

You will not be able to access a Household waste recycling centre without a booking.

Bulky uplifts have now resumed, please see the Bulky uplift service page for details.

Recycling points are still being serviced as normal, but residents are requested not to make special visits to them, in line with government guidance, but to use them while doing their essential shopping.

Waste and recycling should not be placed outwith bins. Recycling points are only for excess household recycling such as plastic/cans, paper/card and glass jars and bottles.

Collection points for free food waste bags are currently closed as results of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.  We are unable to make other arrangements to provide householders with food waste bags at present. Compostable food waste bags are available at most supermarkets so can be purchased during when carrying out essential shopping.  You can also use newspaper to wrap your food waste or put food into the brown bin loose, especially foods such as bread and vegetable peelings.

Due to changes in staff, waste and recycling assisted collections may be collected by a different crew and at a different time. Please make sure your containers are easily accessible and visible. We may have to change where we collect and return your bins from and to.

Repair and replacement of bins and uplifts of any unwanted waste containers has now returned to full service. Requests for these services can be accessed by visiting www.fife.gov.uk/recycling

Fife Council Environmental Health know that you are concerned about disposing of your waste. Your waste contractor is still responsible for collecting your waste, timeously and responsibly. Their Business Continuity Plans will continue to ensure your recycled waste is uplifted, but the COVID-19 pandemic may affect this.

Talk to your waste contractor as soon as you can. Tell them immediately if there are any changes that you need to make, i.e. check for alternate service provision given current system, missed uplifts etc.

If you are going to temporarily close your business, you MUST make sure your commercial waste is disposed of. Empty waste containers must be locked and/or stored in a secure area to stop anyone using them while you are away. You must also tell your waste contractor that you are temporarily closing.

The Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012 state you must take ‘reasonable steps to promote high quality recycling’. Despite the current pandemic, these regulations remain unchanged see below:

• You cannot mix dry recyclables with any waste which cannot be recycled, nor with any waste which would significantly reduce the quality of the material.
• You cannot mix dry recyclables like paper and plastic with residual waste or ‘wet waste’ (such as food).
• Plastics and metals must be cleaned so that they can be recycled. This is considered to be ‘a reasonable step’.

If you can’t do any of the above because of the current pandemic, you must ensure that you store, transfer, transport and dispose of your waste without harming the environment.

How to reduce your volume of waste

• Cans, plastics and cardboard
  Plastics, cans and cardboard boxes should be crushed to make them smaller.
• Food waste
  If you produce more than five kilograms of food waste per week you have a legal duty to ensure it is collected separately from other waste.

How to dispose of your waste cooking oil

Waste oils produced by you are covered by The Water Environment (Oil Storage) (Scotland) Regulations 2006. This applies to storage, transport, recovery and disposal. Like all waste, it must be collected by a registered waste carrier.

You must make sure your waste oil storage is robust and stable so that it won’t cause pollution. Legally containers should be vandal-proof, stable and safe from flood risk - never pour oil down a drain, sink or into the ground.

Recommendations for management of the above

If you do not have one, create a Waste Management Folder, this should contain:

• details of your waste contractor and uplift days for all waste
• training details including induction pack for new staff
• Waste Transfer Notes (WTN’s)

You need to have a system to internally separate your waste and to make sure all bins are clearly labelled. Internal separation helps minimise contamination of external containers - your waste contractor may refuse to collect contaminated waste.

Further information regarding Waste Duty of Care can be found at this link

Should you have any further questions, our staff will be available to discuss via this email address - DutyOfCare.waste@fife.gov.uk

Useful links

• www.zerowastescotland.org.uk
• www.resourceefficientscotland.com

Click here for more coronavirus information and support for businesses