Booking system for waste recycling comes into effect next month

North Ayrshire Council has confirmed the rollout of the new system at its four household waste recycling centres at Brodick, Irvine, Kilbirnie and Largs.

Council officials expect the new system, which was given the green light by the council’s cabinet last October, to help reduce queuing at peak periods.

Councillor Tony Gurney, cabinet member for green environment and economy, praised the new system, describing it as being successful elsewhere in the country.

He said: “Booking systems have been introduced in different parts of the country for some time now and have proven to work well.

“We have liaised with other local authorities who operate a booking system to ensure we get the best and most efficient system for North Ayrshire.

“One of the main benefits we would expect residents to notice is the reduction of long queues at sites, particularly at peak times.

“By having a pre-booked slot, we should see fewer queues, shorter waiting times and an all-round better service.

“We also expect the new system to benefit our hard-working HWRC staff who provide a fantastic service.

“While incidents of aggression towards staff are a rare occurrence, they have happened. We hope that by managing the number of customers on site at any one time, it will lead to a more efficient and stress-free service which will hopefully reduce any instances of aggressive behaviour.

“Importantly, we should see significant environmental benefits with fewer emissions from vehicles sitting in traffic and better reuse and recycling with a reduction in cross-contamination of waste.”

The council claims that the system will enable staff to assist customers to dispose of their household waste safely and correctly, minimising contamination and improving recycling.

Prior to the booking system being given the green light, some councillors criticised the move, describing it as trying to fix a problem that does not exist and a decision which could result in an increase in fly-tipping while also impacting the council’s waste performance.

Others described it as a one-fits-all approach which might benefit some centres, but which would hamper others, particularly in places like Brodick where there are no queues or crowding issues.

Arran councillor Charles Currie opposed the introduction of a booking system on Arran. He said: “Arran’s recycling centre is open very few hours as it is. Given that the island doesn’t receive the full waste collection that the mainland does, anything that is going to further curtail islanders from disposing of waste has to be challenged.”

Further information on the new booking system can be found on North Ayrshire Council’s website at www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/bins-litter-and-recycling/recycling