Scotland’s First Minister visit
Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney, spent the morning on a visit with one of the country’s most forward-thinking waste management companies to learn about its innovative approach to recycling - High Quality Recycling (HQR), a system unique to Scotland.
Accompanied by Stephen Cameron, Managing Director of Change Waste Recycling, Mr Swinney joined the collection team on their rounds in Edinburgh to see first-hand how segregating waste at source into individual waste streams e.g. paper, plastic, cardboard, and cans is transforming recycling outcomes for businesses across the city. He also toured the company’s recycling facility to gain a deeper understanding of the company’s processes.
Speaking about the visit, First Minister John Swinney said:
“We’re looking to build an economy that wastes fewer resources and companies like Change Waste Recycling will play a vital role in this. Scotland is creating less waste and landfilling less than at any time since records began and while we’re investing in more reuse and recycling provision, we know there is always more we can do.
“I am grateful to Change Waste Recycling for giving me this opportunity to join their teams on their daily route across Edinburgh. They do immensely valuable work collecting the city’s recycling and being their employee for the morning has given me a first-hand insight into their work and the role they play in the Scottish Government’s priorities to tackle climate change and grow the economy.”
Stephen Cameron, Managing Director - Change Waste Recycling, also commented:
“It was a privilege to host the First Minister and demonstrate just how crucial source segregation has become in reducing waste and recovering valuable resources across Scottish businesses. Driving this forward and encouraging wider adoption is at the core of Change Waste’s mission as we move into our next phase of growth.”
Background
According to Zero Waste Scotland, 81% of material in general waste bins shouldn’t be there - it’s a valuable resource currently being lost. Scotland generates around about 2.3 million tonnes of waste just across household collections each year yet only 43% is recycled. This means that across household collections there is about a million tonnes of material that could be recycled, that currently isn’t. We could extrapolate this across commercial and industrial waste too, which overall is costing the nation hundreds of millions of pounds.
Bold action is needed
Recycling is not currently seen as “urgent” or “essential” by many – but system-level changes can alter public behaviour. For example, the plastic bag charge led to usage dropping from 7.6 billion in 2014 to just 133 million by 2022/23 – a 98% reduction. The same mindset shift is possible for waste and recycling. Source-separated waste, sorted at the point of generation drastically reduces contamination, maximises recycling potential, and eliminates the need for further sorting. It’s easy to implement, cost-effective, and fully compliant with Scottish Duty of Care legislation.
About Change Waste Recycling
Change Waste Recycling is a national waste management and resource recovery company with facilities in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London. The business delivers innovative, practical solutions to improve waste management, reduce landfill use, and minimise environmental impact. Change Waste offers a range of business-focused recycling solutions that bring sustainability, simplicity, and financial benefits to its customers – helping organisations recycle more and waste less.