"I have again been presented with good news. The target of 30 per cent does not take effect until the end of next year, but we are well on course to smash it"
Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment
Edinburgh: Scotland has almost reached its 2008 recycling target a year in advance, according to figures published yesterday by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
In the 12 months up to June this year, Scotland's recycling and composting rate was 29.8 per cent, a whisker short of the 30 per cent target set for the end of 2008.
Even better, figures for the latest quarter (April-June 2007) were considerably higher at 33.4 per cent making the outlook very promising. In fact if repeated in the year ending June 2008, Scotland would effectively shatter the 30% target.
However the Scottish Government has warned that the benchmark for the target will be year-on-year figures. While figures for this quarter (Q1 2007-08) sit at 33.4 per cent, Scotland’s performance will be judged on a full year's figures. Recycling rates tend to be higher during summer months due to the contribution made by collection and composting of green wastes.
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead said:
"It was only September when I was delighted to announce that by the end of 2006, Scotland was recycling and composting more than 25 per cent of its municipal waste. Now, mere weeks later, I have again been presented with good news. The target of 30 per cent does not take effect until the end of next year, but we are well on course to smash it.
Richard Lochhead continued, "The figures for this quarter stand at well over 30 per cent, and while they date from summer months, when recycling rates tend to be higher, it still makes for encouraging reading. I am also heartened to see that the amount of waste going to landfill continues to fall. Following the Waste Summit held last month, the Scottish Government is looking at ways to further improve our performance on waste, and conserve earth's precious resources."
South Ayrshire and Clackmannanshire have both broken the 40% barrier in the rolling year figures (see SEPA web page)
Other recycling and composting targets are 30 per cent by 2008 and 55 per cent by 2020.
This was a great result and no doubt the drive of the Scottish people will see them through future targets also.
John Ferguson, manager of the waste and resource strategy unit said:
“The latest figures released today are good news. Scotland is well on its way to meeting the 2008 recycling/composting target of 30%. The efforts from the public have continued to improve and this has been shown in the figures released today.
“As positive as these results are, we all need to continue our efforts to minimise waste growth and maximise recycling if we are to continue meeting ambitious recycling/composting targets.”