LA Waste Prevention

Around 3.5% of municipal solid waste managed by Scottish Local Authorities is generated by the councils themselves, through their own activities. Most of this is generated through schools, but building services and offices contribute towards this total of 118,000 tonnes per year. Waste represents an inefficiency in the delivery of council services and has direct cost implications.

Delivering Waste Reductions

In 2008/09 Remade Scotland worked with local authorities to highlight this waste and to establish systems for eliminating the waste in the first place through a structured programme of support, which promoted best practices across all councils in waste minimisation. The activities for 2009/10 are to

• Develop further Case Study material, with one on paper minimisation based on Fife Council's integrated Print Management System and a second on Internal Recharge Mechanisims.
• Facilitate Two Network Meetings for Local Authorities - to help disseminate best paractice.
• Work with two Councils to develop a methodology for internal waste data capture.  - A specification has been developed with Envirowise and Aberdeenshire & East Renfrewshire Councils for a tool which could assist Councils more accurately measure and monitor their own internal waste arisings and is available as a Featured Report.

• Promote the Advantages and Benefits of Waste Minimisation to Chief Officers as their support is crucial to the success of such initiatives.