Actions on reducing waste

To safeguard the environment for the future and tackle climate change, we all need to work to reduce the amount of waste we produce - Government included!

On this page, find out about some of the things the Scottish Government is doing to cut the amount of waste it creates.

What we're doing to cut waste

As well as encouraging waste reduction through awareness-raising initiatives such as the It's Our Future campaign, the Waste Aware Scotland websites and the Investment in Community Recycling and Social Enterprise (INCREASE) programme, the Scottish Government (SG) is also working to reduce the amount of waste produced within its offices and estates operation.

All bottled water provided under the catering hospitality service is now replaced by insulated flasks containing chilled mains water.

By the end of 2009, bottled water coolers will be replaced by mains water chilled systems in SG buildings. As part of our recycling policy, the bottles used on water coolers are presently cleaned, refilled and reused.

SG reports and other official documents are produced in electronic form wherever possible. Recycled paper is used for all printed material.

Environmentally-friendly paper was introduced in 2008, containing more recycled fibres and wood pulp from responsibly-managed forests. Staff are encouraged not to print or copy documents unless absolutely necessary and to print on both sides of the paper when there's no alternative to printing.

We recycle all paper, cardboard, plastic cups and bottles, cans, batteries and toner cartridges in our main buildings. In addition, we recycle glass, wood, WEEE and metal waste. General waste including food and packaging which cannot be recycled at present, is sent to landfill.

Approximately 80 per cent of waste from SG buildings is recycled.

The Government is also looking at replacing its office bins with recycling islands to encourage sorting at source, instead of after, collection. This approach forms the basis of a new waste management contract due later in 2009.

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