Dumfries and Galloway Council will meet on Thursday 25 June and be asked to approve the £12.8million investment in the Dumfries Zero Waste Park.
This new facility will allow a flexible, state of the art approach to recycling for the entire region and will have three key features;
• A building to receive the dry recyclates collected from households across the region for sorting and bulking before onward sale/disposal
• A modern, safe and efficient household waste recycling centre to replace the constrained facility presently located at Locharmoss
• A refuse collection vehicle stabling, fuelling, washing and minor-maintenance facility
The three-phase approach to completing the site has already started, with design progressing, and has a completion window of late 2021 to April 2022, with the ongoing impact of Covid-19 a key consideration in the work plan flexibility. The Communities Committee, the Waste Strategy Implementation Sub Committee and the Finance, Procurement and Transformation Committee have received reports on the site plan and costs, but it will fall to Members on 25 June to sign off on the investment from the Council’s Capital Investment Strategy.
Another key part of the report being tabled to Members that is up for approval is the roll out of kerbside recycling. It is planned to start this 3 bin approach to recycling in the West of the region, where kerbside recycling has existed for some years. The report details that by late this year, the rollout of the new system will have taken place in Wigtown area.
Council Leader Elaine Murray said; “This is a comprehensive report that summarises how we as a Council will take forward our recycling arrangements in the medium term. The investment in the Zero Waste Park will allow us to function more efficiently and provide a recycling service to residents, which is vital in terms of tackling climate change and sustainability.”
Depute Leader Rob Davidson said; “I’m delighted to see the plans for kerbside recycling, and the regionwide approach we’re taking on this. As a Council that strives for equality, it is vital we provide the same service in Langholm and Closeburn as we do in Dalbeattie and Whithorn. This report sets out how we’ll do this.”
Papers for the meeting are available at www.dumgal.gov.uk
