Following waste compositional analysis of what residents are putting in their wheelie bins it was found that more than 33% of waste being put into everyone’s non-recyclable waste bin should have gone in their burgundy compostable waste bin.

Councillor Robert Brown, the chair of the council’s Community and Enterprise Resources, said: “Disposing of your food waste in the wrong bin may not seem like a big problem but it is very important that everyone does what they can to help the council recycle all waste materials as much as possible.

“These household tasks have become such an every-day occurrence that, without realising it, many of us now fail to put everything we can in our recycling bins.

“Almost all food waste can be bagged in your food caddy and then placed in your burgundy recycling bin. And most garden waste can also be put in your Burgundy compostable waste bin

“However, some of us can still get a bit confused when it comes to containers and packaging that has contained food. If you give plastics and cans a quick rinse they can go in your light grey bin. All clean cardboard or paper can be recycled in your blue bin but if it has been contaminated by food waste (take-away pizza boxes especially) it must go in your non-recyclable (black) waste bin.

“So, let’s all make sure we are recycling as much as we can to help reduce our carbon footprint and continue to do our bit to improve the climate we all live in.”

Please take a few minutes to check out what should go in your bins and make a renewed effort to do everything you can to help the council recycle as much as possible.

Zero Waste Scotland also has a digital Recycling Sorter which allows you to search for what items can be recycled, and in what bin.