Waste-Free RCV (Refuse Collection Vehicle) Project

Building on the success of the Waste-Free Households project, RoWAN is now undertaking a second major venture - its Waste-Free RCV project. Based on the priniciples of the Waste-Free Households project, RoWAN is working closely with The Highland Council to offer a package of support to a much larger group of households in Ross-shire. The group represents the population as a whole and is not self-selecting volunteers. This project will help to achieve the targets set by the Highland Area and National Waste Plans in recycling, composting and landfill for the next 2-5 years.

Communities involved

There are 4 main communities/routes involved in this project: Lochcarron through to Achnasheen, Garve to Ullapool, Conon Bridge & Maryburgh and part of Alness. If you are not sure if you involved in this project give us a call. If you know your account number check out your data. Also check out what's happening in your community to encourage waste reduction.

Method

In the RCV project, RoWAN is working with The Highland Council to measure waste over a period of 2 years on a particular RCV route comprising approximately 3000 households. The households involved include rural, village and town locations. The RCV has an on-board weighing system and each wheelie bin has an identity tag which corresponds to a household. Waste weights are measured weekly and the data consolidated to indicate changes in waste volumes.

Support

Throughout the project RoWAN is offering households on the RCV route support and practical information to assist them in reducing their waste to landfill. As in the Waste-Free Households project, this includes incentives to encourage composting, recycling and reuse of materials which might otherwise be destined for the wheelie bin. Waste reduction and storage equipment is being offered to households free of charge or at competitive rates. Check out our special offers.

RoWAN is also recruiting volunteer households to assist in the general running of the project at local level.

Regular feedback is being supplied to households, through newsletters and check your data and it is hoped that both individuals and communities will use this information together with the support and help RoWAN can offer, to accept the challenge of becoming 'as waste free as possible'.

RoWAN is working actively with many schools and community groups in each of the key project areas to raise awareness of waste issues and support local initiatives. 

Several newsletters have been issued since the project launch and these show the fabulous work of some of the schools on the project route to best effect. Many schools are working hard to increase awareness and tackle waste issues locally and we hope to include as much of their work as possible in future newsletters.

We also run regular competitions to encourage waste reduction - for current competitions and recent winners see competitions.