Edinburgh City Council is hoping more Edinburgh residents will get the recycling habit when its brown bin garden waste collection scheme starts up again on 1 April 2008. At present, less than half Edinburgh households use the garden waste collection scheme, with organic matter often ending up in landfill.

"Garden waste" is defined as flowers and plants, garden weeds, grass clippings, hedge trimmings, and leaves. The brown bin collection scheme does not include food waste, soil, and stones.

"Presently we are aiming to increase the scheme's membership from around 100,000 to 110,000," said Councillor Robert Aldridge, Environment Leader.

"Keen gardeners already have a natural affinity with the environment, so I'm sure the city's most green-fingered and green-minded residents will be delighted that the brown bin collection service to recycle garden waste is now starting up for 2008," he added.

Edinburgh has been something of a laggard where recycling is concerned: the council's target to recycle 30% of city waste is below the current average recycling rate for Europe of 37% and well behind other European cities in Austria, Germany and the Netherlands which typically recycle more than 50% of their solid waste.

Green Spread For Golf Open

During 2007, nearly 20,000 tonnes of garden waste was collected and composted for use as a soil improver in landscaping. Last Summer, twenty two tonnes of 'green spread' (a mixture of sand and compost) was distributed over the golf course at Carnoustie before the Open championship.

Although gardeners have always created their own compost, those looking for more muck can buy it from Forth Resource Management who compost garden waste from the brown bin collections and recycling centres in Edinburgh.

Calendars have been distributed to all residents who are part of the brown bin waste collection scheme advising them of their collection days. Those wishing to expand their Reduce Reuse Recycle practice by joining the garden waste collection scheme should contact Services for Communities on 0131 529 3030 or email wasteaware@edinburgh.gov.uk.