Concern has been raised over Perth and Kinross schools sending around 230,000 foil trays to landfill every year.
A Perth and Kinross councillor questioned the environmental impact of such a move.
The concerns were raised as councillors recently met to consider the latest changes to PKC’s waste management plan.
Councillors scrutinised the plan at a virtual meeting of the environment and infrastructure committee on January 26.
In June 2019 Perth and Kinross councillors unanimously agreed for the council to “lead by example” in its response to climate change.
PKC is aiming to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2045.
As councillors met to discuss PKC’s waste management plan, SNP councillor Grant Laing questioned how throwing away around 230,000 foil trays met that commitment.
In January 2022 Perth and Kinross primary and nursery children began being served meals produced in the state-of-the-art Tay Cuisine central production unit in Dundee. The meals are transported to Perth and Kinross schools in batches.
However it has emerged the meals are being packaged in single-use foil trays, which are then thrown away.
Cllr Laing raised the issue at the recent meeting of the environment and infrastructure committee.
He was told while washed foil trays could not be recycled in a kerbside collection, they were accepted at the region’s recycling centres.
PKC’s waste services manager Sheila Best said: “At the moment we’re not accepting that material through our kerbside system particularly because it’s usually associated with food contamination which makes it very difficult for the processor to then deal with that material.”
When pushed by Cllr Laing and convener Angus Forbes as to whether clean foil could be recycled anywhere, she added: “At our recycling centres we have can banks which accept foil.”
On hearing they could be recycled, Cllr Laing asked: “I’ve spoken to officers and we have around 2.3 million school meals per annum in Perth and Kinross provided in foil trays that contain 10 portions - that’s 230,000 foil trays. Why are we putting them straight into general waste?
“I think it’s a massive figure. It does not set a good example.
“We have known this is coming. Why have we not put in place a means of recycling these foil containers?”
He raised concern the primary schools where this was happening included those with Eco-School credentials. The Eco-Schools green flag is awarded to a school as a symbol of its commitment to environmental education.
PKC’s head of waste said she had “just recently” been made aware of this situation and was seeking to meet with relevant parties around the use of ‘single-use’ items.
