Aberdeen’s £27 million recycling centre is producing lower quality materials than its counterparts elsewhere in Scotland, according to new figures.
The Altens-based facility was officially opened in October and sorts waste into bales to be sold on to third parties for reprocessing.
However, the most recent quarterly statistics from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency have revealed that 31.4% of its output is contaminated with “non-target” materials placed in the wrong bale, or non-recyclable materials which cannot be processed.
The average for the 13 other sites in Scotland over the same three months was 8.4%, while the facility in Falkirk fared second-worst with 17.3%.
Some people have argued that part of the issue stems from the council’s move from single-stream recycling collections to a mixed system.
Since last March, residents have been able to put paper, cans and other recyclables in one kerbside box rather than separating it by category.
Retired environmental scientist Ishbel Shand – who has a PhD in biogeochemistry, the study of how elements are recycled – said: “There seems to be a problem with the plant, as what is coming out contains an enormous amount of non-target and non-recyclable material.
“The amount of contamination in the mixed recycling facility output far exceeds the specifications for recycling quality demanded by reprocessors.”
She added: “A mixed system may be cheaper to collect, but it will be difficult to re-sell or re-use poor quality recycling so it is likely to end up being landfilled or burnt.
“The Welsh system (where recycling is sorted) is far better. They’re now second only to Germany in Europe for production of high quality recycling.”
A spokeswoman for Suez, which operates the plant, said: “In targeting certain materials for recycling, Suez can ensure minimum contamination and therefore the best value-for-money for Aberdeen taxpayers.
“Non-target materials that arrive at the recycling facility are still processed and 97% of what arrives at the Altens East facility is recycled and the remainder is used as a fuel to create heat and power.
“No material that passes through Altens East goes to landfill.”
Aberdeen City Council was contacted for comment.
