Highland residents will soon have the chance to help decide the fate of their rubbish. Like the rest of the country, the area has long relied on landfill sites, but things have to change. Landfill space is rapidly running out, and European rules mean the whole of Scotland is having to find alternatives to dumping.

The Highland Waste Strategy Group is holding a series of meetings to let local people air their views on recycling, incineration and other issues. In the next few months the group will have to make tough decisions on what the area is going to do with the 500,000 tonnes of rubbish it produces each year.

Lorna Walker of SEPA, who is co-ordinating the group's work, said: "We're all producers of waste, so it's vital that everyone has their say. We're going to be asking people if they'd be prepared to separate their rubbish to help recycling. We also want to know what they think about composting, landfill and energy recovery (eg incineration). Plus, there are many more issues - like cost and distance - that we need to discuss before the group draws up a plan."

The first meeting will be in the Macphail Centre, Ullapool on 4 September and will be opened by Cllr David Green, Convenor of Highland Council. This will be followed the next day by a meeting in the Green House, Inverness. All events will feature a day-long exhibition, and will give communities the chance to hear the facts, ask questions and express their views.

As well as the meetings, every household and business in the area will receive an information leaflet explaining why things need to change. 22 schools are also taking part in workshops. More details are available by contacting SEPA on 01349 860367 and highlandwaste@sepa.org.uk, or by visiting www.sepa.org.uk/consultation


ENDS

Photo and Interview Opportunities

4th September: Lorna Walker (Waste Area Strategy Co-ordinator) and Cllr Green will be available for interview, along with other members of the group, from 1 - 2pm before the launch. There will also be 50 wheelie bins representing the rubbish produced by a single household in one year.

Notes to editors

Meetings schedule (each meeting is accompanied by a day-long exhibition from 11am-8.30pm)

4 September Macphail Centre, Ullapool 2.00 - 4.30pm
5 September Green House, Inverness 2.00 - 4.30pm
11 September Duke of Gordon Hotel, Kingussie 2.00 - 4.30pm
13 September Broadford Village Hall, Skye 2.00 - 4.30pm
20 September Environmental Research Institute, Thurso 2.00 - 4.30pm
25 September An Drochaid (Claggan Community Centre) 7.00 - 9.30pm
27 September Dingwall Town Hall 2.00 - 4.30pm
1 October Royal Marine Hotel, Brora 2.00 - 4.30pm

The European Union requires that every member state produces a waste strategy. Scotland is split into 11 waste areas, each of which has to produce a plan detailing how waste will be managed in that area for the next 20 years. The members of the Highland group include public bodies, business, and environmental and community groups.

For more information contact Lorna Walker on 01349 862021 or 07788 568169.