A new partnership has been formed to help develop waste management arrangements in the Highlands with the clear objective of providing new, modern facilities equalling the best in Europe.

The Highland Waste Strategy Group is chaired by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), and involves the Highland Council, representatives from business and community groups and other public bodies. This is all part of the National Waste Strategy: Scotland which proposed 11 areas throughout Scotland where local Waste Strategy Groups are taking a strategic look at waste issues. They will set up 25 year plans to achieve the best local solution for dealing with waste.

315,000 Tonnes of waste are produced in the Highlands every year -an amount which is growing at a rate higher than the national average, at a time when landfill sites are closing.

Lorna Walker of SEPA, who is coordinating the group, says: "We are looking for ways to reduce the amount of waste produced in the first place, and to get more benefit from the waste we do produce through, for example, recycling, composting and producing energy. All options are open at the moment and we want to know what people think. We have just finished a round of meetings involving 250 people, and will be consulting again early in the new year".

Cllr Bill Fulton, Chairman of Highland Council Protective Services Committee, says "The Highland Council is committed to this new partnership, and will play a full part in it. The Council must, however, ensure "Best Value" is delivered by its proposed integrated waste management services partnership and this will play a key role in informing the development of the Area Waste Plan."

"Waste management is an important issue for all businesses in the Highlands" says Gordon Cox, Chief Executive of Ross and Cromarty Enterprise, "We want to make sure that new investment will bring real benefits to Highland companies and communities."

Liz McLachlan of Friends of the Earth says, "We are pleased that SEPA is consulting with community groups around the Highlands on this important issue of resource use. Everyone knows that places in Europe do it better than we do - we must find ways to make it work in the Highlands."

ENDS

NOTES

1. The National Waste Strategy: Scotland was published by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and adopted by the Scottish Executive in December 1999. It is available on SEPA's website www.sepa.org.uk or from Lorna Walker or SEPA Public Relations(contact details below).
   
   
2. Members of the Highland Waste Strategy Group are:
   
   • SEPA (3 representatives)
     
     
   • The Highland Council (6 representatives)
     
     
   • Highlands and Islands Enterprise (2 representatives)
     
     
   • Waste Industry (7 representatives on rotating basis)
     
     
   • Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (representing community groups)
     
     
   • Scottish Environment Link (2 representatives on rotating basis - Friends of the Earth and the Scottish Wildlife Trust)
     
     
   • Scottish Natural Heritage
     
     
   • North of Scotland Water Authority
     
3. Workshops have been held around the Highlands in:
   Lochaber, Badenoch and Strathspey, Caithness, Skye and Lochalsh, Sutherland, Ross-shire, Inverness and Nairn
   
   
4. The Highland Council has drawn up a shortlist of companies which will bid to provide future waste management services: Biffa; Highland Future Waste Management; Onyx Aurora; Shanks Waste Solutions and SITA.
   
   

Further information from Lorna Walker Waste Strategy Area Coordinator, tel: 01349 862021