Re-use

Scotland’s waste management infrastructure is coming under increasing pressure, raising an important question: do we have enough accessible Energy from Waste and landfill capacity to manage the waste Scotland continues to produce?    The issue is the focus of Episode 123 of Rubbish Talk, where Alasdair Meldrum examines recent capacity reports alongside developments affecting disposal …

Does Scotland Have Enough Capacity for Its Residual Waste? Read More »

The Environment Agency’s recently published list of high-priority waste sites in England provides a stark reminder of the continuing scale of waste crime and environmental non-compliance across the sector.   The numbers are eye-watering.   Based on the published data, the sites collectively account for approximately 1.87 million tonnes of waste. Using the current landfill …

England’s High-Priority Waste Sites: Are We Focusing Resources in the Right Places? Read More »

‘We’re just back from our annual holiday in’ (choose any European country you like!) ‘and were so impressed as usual with the lack of litter in their towns. Why can’t our Councils do the same?’ is a common theme running through readers’ letters to our national newspapers most summers.   Actually there are a number …

The Litter Epidemic…Or is it Endemic? Read More »

1800-1892 Scotland was comprised of various municipalities: Royal Burghs, Burghs of Regality, Burghs of Barony, Police Burghs, Counties, Counties of Cities, all with varying powers. Until 1868, Glasgow used Contractors to collect and dispose of their waste, then recruited their own staff and employees to do the job. 1892-1897 The Burgh Police (Scotland) Act 1892 …

Timeline for ‘100+ years of Waste Management in Scotland’ Read More »

Rubbish Talk is pleased to share an update from Keep Scotland Beautiful, following their recent engagement with us about Scotland’s ongoing litter and flytipping challenges and the opportunities ahead to drive real change.    After reading our recent blog “Rubbish Rules and Realities”  with John Crawford, Keep Scotland Beautiful reached out to highlight the importance …

Keep Scotland Beautiful Highlights Urgent Action Needed on Litter and Flytipping Ahead of 2026 Election Read More »

John’s Take on Scotland’s Litter Strategy (Inspired by listener John’s response to Episode 81 of Rubbish Talk)   Few people know the realities of waste and litter management better than John, a Rubbish Talk listener and guest on Episode 53. After hearing our recent episode on Episode 81, he shared his candid thoughts on Scotland’s …

Rubbish Rules and Realities Read More »

John’s Reflections on White Goods and Waste Safety (Inspired by listener John Crawford’s email about Episode 81 of Rubbish Talk)   Some stories from the early days of waste management are sobering reminders of how far safety and regulation have come — and how hard-won those lessons were.   Long-time listener and former guest John …

Dangerous Waste, Forgotten Lessons Read More »

The announcement yesterday that the enforcement of the Biodegradable Landfill ban Purpose was being delayed until 1st January 2028, got me thinking about where the landfill ban journey started and that was back in 2010 with the publication of Scotland’s Zero Waste Plan.   At the time this was an ambitious, forward thinking plan with …

Landfill Ban Delay till 2028 – Where It Went Wrong? Read More »

(Inspired by an email from John Crawford, Rubbish Talk Listener and Guest on Episode 53)    Every so often, one of our listeners takes us right back to the roots of waste collection — to the days when dustbins clanged, ash filled the air, and “health and safety” was a foreign concept.    After tuning …

From Dustbins to Wheelie Bins: John’s Walk Down Memory Lane Read More »

The management of solid waste in the United Kingdom has undergone profound changes over the past two centuries, reflecting broader shifts in urbanisation, public health, technology, and environmental awareness. What began as rudimentary disposal methods has evolved into a highly regulated, multi-stream collection system designed to minimise environmental impact and promote resource recovery.   In …

From Dustmen to Wheelie Bins: The Evolution of Household Waste Management in the UK Read More »