A major recycling initiative has been thrown on the scrapheap following a change in Scottish Government policy.
Midlothian councillors have voiced their disappointment that the £12.6 million funding for the Lothian and Borders Waste Management Project has been withdrawn and the project formally wound up.
Instead, the Scottish Government has asked local auth
orities across the country to adopt a new Zero Waste resolution.
Midlothian Council has written to the government expressing serious concern at the loss of the project.
Hard workAddressing cabinet colleagues recently, Councillor Russell Imrie said: "We are back to basics and starting again.
"Further reports will come forward to give cabinet an indication of what is happening.
"A lot of time has been wasted and a lot of hard work was put in by people.
"We have to get on with the new agenda."
Zero wasteThe new Zero Waste initiative sees the council commit to a target of recycling and composting more than 60 per cent of materials it collects by 2020.
Councillor Imrie said the new government policy had "aims and aspirations", which the council's commercial services division was already working towards.
"We are moving towards a zero waste society which I am sure everyone would love to have.
"It is about working with communities making them aware and asking people to think twice before becoming a throwaway society," he added.
The full article contains 233 words and appears in Midlothian Advertiser newspaper.
