Changes to the brown bin collection service
From 1 April 2023, if you wish to recycle garden waste in your brown bin, you must purchase a garden waste permit.
Each bin to be collected must have a permit displayed. If you choose not to purchase a garden waste permit, your brown bin will not be collected from 1 April 2023.
If you have ordered a permit, and it has not arrived before your garden waste is scheduled to be collected, crews cannot empty your bin.
Changes to access and opening times at the Recycling Centres
From 3 April 2023, every resident will need to book a time slot to take their vehicle to a recycling centre, bookings should be made in advance.
Opening times will be 10am – 6pm (changed from 8am - 6pm), with days of opening remaining unchanged.
Waste as a resource
The waste and recycling collected from your kerbside bins and recycling points is treated as a resource with a value. Manufacturers turn these resources into new products and give them another use which means that the quality of the recycling Falkirk Council collects is very important.
The journey of your recycling
What happens to your recycling?
There are many different waste streams. Each resource is treated and recycled differently.
Glass (clear and coloured) is collected from your black box and from communal recycling bins. Glass can be recycled without any loss of quality through the recycling process.
Cans, aerosols and foil are collected together with plastics. They are sorted at Roughmute Material Recovery Facility (MRF) then transported to be melted down and recycled.
Plastic is collected from your blue bin and sent to Roughmute (MRF). It is sorted so contaminates are removed. The material is then baled and transported to be recycled.
Paper and cardboard is collected from your burgundy bin and is sent to Roughmute (MRF) to be stored. It is then sent to a reprocessor where it is recycled into new paper and cardboard products.
Electrical items are collected from your black box and from Roughmute Recycling Centre and recycled.
Food waste is collected from your food caddy or outside food waste container and recycled into soil improver and green energy by anaerobic digestion.
Garden waste is sent to Kinneil Kerse recycling centre to be composted and recycled.
Non-recyclable waste
Falkirk Council seeks to minimise the volume of waste going to landfill. Please use your kerbside collection service provided.
Reduce, repair and reuse
The best way to manage waste is not to produce it at all. As well as recycling, it has never been more important to think about reducing, repairing and reusing your waste.