A group of 11 met at Seafield Recycling Cabin, unfortunately our pre booked guide didn’t turn up but an able substitute, one of the workers on the site, showed us around.

THINGS WE DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT EDINBURGH’S WASTE:

• Targets: In 2000 approx. 5% of waste was diverted from landfill. By 2025 no more than 5% of Edinburgh’s waste should still go to landfill.

• “Edenburgh”  is the campaign currently being run to meet these targets

• Recycling rates in Edinburgh currently stand at between 60% and 70%

• Community Recycling Centres (such as Seafield) accept over 20 different types of waste materials for recycling

• This includes less usual things like paint, tyres, oil (engine and vegetable), videos, energy saving light bulbs and fluorescent tubes

• Hard plastics (eg garden furniture) are collected in different skips and recycled separately from soft plastics (eg drinks bottles)

• There is also a reuse cabin for donating furniture and other household items to charity

• A range of charities also have collection points at the Recycling Centres so that you can donate your unused but usable books, CDs, clothes and shoes for reuse.

• 40% of the waste thrown out in Edinburgh could be recycled!