Zero Waste won’t happen without ‘next generation’ green infrastructure.

That was the message today from Viridor – Scotland’s leading recycling, renewable energy and sustainable waste partner in response to Scotland’s latest recycling figures which show that half of councils have failed to meet the national 40% recycling target.

Part of the FTSE 250 Pennon Group, Viridor works with 96% of Scottish local and Scotland’s leading businesses including RBS, Scottish Power, Coca Cola Enterprises and BAE Systems. It is investing up to £800m in Scottish ‘next generation’ Zero Waste infrastructure and is one of the last two bidders in all three Scottish 25 year waste partnerships currently out for tender: Glasgow, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian.

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Commenting on today’s Scottish recycling figures, Martin Grey, Communications Manager, said:

“Whilst Scotland has come a long way in recent years, today’s figures remain a wake up call for us all. Scotland’s Zero Waste Plan, launched last year, is rightly forward thinking and ambitious and the good news is that recycling has been a great Scottish success story. From pre-schoolers to pensioners, we understand the need to transform how we view and manage waste - including the need to reduce, reuse and recycle.

“That said, Zero Waste won’t happen without a new network of ‘next generation’ green infrastructure on the ground to enhance recycling and recover renewable energy from what remains, diverting waste from landfill and avoiding increasingly costly landfill levies.”

Viridor is leading Scottish investment in vital recycling and renewable energy infrastructure, pledging up to £800m to help translate Scottish zero waste policy into practice.

Mr. Grey continued: “But to avoid slipping further behind other nations we need to accelerate public procurements of vital infrastructure to target household waste, recognise the need for additional capacity as we focus on business waste, and attract a grown up politics in the Scottish waste debate including support for vital projects that will deliver sustainability.

“This isn’t about incineration but a mix of modern, proven technologies to drive up recycling and recover energy from what’s left.”

(GK)