Aberdeenshire Council controversially launches new orange-lidded bins as collections move to once every three weeks

Eventually, over 120,000 homes across the region will receive the new bin.

By Cameron Roy

April 4 2023, 5:17 pm

The new bins will eventually be rolled out across Aberdeenshire. Image: Aberdeenshire Council.

Aberdeenshire Council will soon be launching its new orange-lidded bins.

Kincardine and Mearns will be the first area in the region to receive the third bin which will be designated for certain types of recycling only.

But the change will mean that instead of general waste bins being emptied every second week, they will only be picked up by the council every third week.

Aberdeenshire Council says the changes could save up to £765,000 per year as a result of segregating paper and cardboard which reduces costs.

The new orange-lidded bins are ready to be rolled-out. Image: Aberdeenshire Council.

However, the changes have proven controversial ever since they were approved in January 2022.

The rollout in Kincardine and Mearns will begin on April 17. Once it is completed, everyone will switch to the new timetable near the end of May.

The new bins will then roll into another area until eventually, all of Aberdeenshire’s 120,000 homes have the new bins by March 2024.

How will the new Aberdeenshire three-bin system work?

Here’s how the new cycle will work, and what will be picked up when:

Week One: Black-lidded, 240-litre non-recyclable bin, for all rubbish that you can’t recycle.
Week Two: Blue-lidded, 240-litre recycling bin, for paper, card and cardboard only.
Week Three: New, orange-lidded, 180-litre bin. This will be for tins, cans, foil, aerosols, and food and drink cartons. It will also be for plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays.

It will not change food waste and battery collections for households – which will continue to be every week.

Glass and garden waste will continue to not be collected. Households will keep having to take garden waste to recycling centres and glass to special recycling points.

Here are the three bins every household will have after the changes roll-out in their areas, as well as the food waste caddy. Image: Aberdeenshire Council.

The project has been funded by £3.5 million from the Scottish Government’s Recycling Improvement Fund.

It will help keep the council aligned with the Scottish Government’s goals for “a more circular” and “sustainable” economy.

Plans continue to be controversial

However, ever since the plans have been announced, Aberdeenshire Council has received plenty of criticism.

Concerns have been raised about the increasing complexity and confusion which could arise.

The new bins have been met with some controversy. Image: Aberdeenshire Council.

In May, members of the council’s own bin crew told The Press and Journal anonymously the change would be an “absolute disaster”.

Last January, a readers poll found 84% of the 755 participants did not support the new bin plans.

Aberdeenshire Council: ‘More needs to be recycled’

The council has responded by saying its analysis has found waste bins in Aberdeenshire generally contain more recyclable material than not.

It has asked residents to recycle more of their waste.

Chairman of the council’s infrastructure services committee John Crawley said: “Recycling helps to conserve natural resources, returning them to us to be made into something new, rather than wasting energy to process more raw materials.

“These changes will support households to improve the quality of their recycling by separating more of what we already collect into a new bin, reducing contamination and encouraging everyone in the region to recycle as much as they can.”

The new orange-lidded bins will be for tins, cans and plastic bottles. Image: Aberdeenshire Council.

Vice-chairwoman Isobel Davidson said: “To help, we’re increasing the average weekly recycling capacity for households and restricting non-recyclable waste to encourage more recycling.

“As with any change in service, there will be a period of getting used to the new system, but if we form the habit and encourage each other to not let recycling go to waste, we can all help to create a healthier environment for ourselves and future generations.”

Where can people find out more information?

The council has announced a number of community events in Kincardine and Mearns where residents can ask questions to learn more about the new service.

They will be held at: