The three areas of the Ayrshire region have fallen short of the Scottish Government’s 60 per cent recycling target - with thousands of tonnes of rubbish still being sent to landfill.
Ayrshire Live can reveal that in South Ayrshire, 56 per cent of household waste was recycled in 2021 - leaving a massive 19,706 tonnes of waste going to landfill.
But they are still the third highest recycling authority in Scotland.
And in East Ayrshire, 48.5 per cent of household waste was recycled in 2021 - with a whopping 22,352 tonnes of waste going to landfill.
For North Ayrshire, 56.3 per cent was recycled - with 3,470 tonnes going to landfill.
They are, however, the country's second highest recycling authority.
According to the figures from SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) just 42.7 per cent of the country’s total amount of household waste was recycled in 2021- leaving 663,533 tonnes being tipped into landfill sites.
The figures have been met with dismay by South Scotland Labour List MSP Colin Smyth, who is the party’s Net Zero Spokesperson.
He said: “These dismal figures lay bare the reality behind the SNP-Green government’s hollow environmental rhetoric.
“They claim to recognise the scale of the climate emergency, but missed targets and broken promises pile up around us.
“Recycling rates are stuck well below targets because the Scottish Government continue to starve councils of the funding they need for basic services such as this.
“The SNP-Green government’s spin won’t cut it - we need bold action to boost recycling rates and build a greener, fairer Scotland.”
However, a Scottish Government spokesperson said they were taking “dedicated action” to increase recycling rates and reduce waste in our economy.
The spokesperson said: “Our £70 million Recycling Improvement Fund is delivering one of the biggest investments in recycling in Scotland in a generation, which will make it easier for households to recycle and increase local recycling rates.
“In August, we are introducing the UK’s first deposit return scheme for drinks containers, which will recycle billions of bottles and cans every single year.
“Our forthcoming Circular Economy Bill will establish the legislative framework to support Scotland’s transition to a zero waste and circular economy.
“Together, these actions will boost recycling and make an important contribution to the fight against the climate crisis.”
An East Ayrshire Council official said: "East Ayrshire Council can confirm that the tonnage to landfill quoted is higher than some of the other authorities due to the contractual arrangements that were in place at the time of reporting.
"Some local authorities mentioned are now sending waste to other treatment options for example Energy from Waste facilities.
"In East Ayrshire, a new contract was awarded in May 2022 with waste now processed into Refuse Derived fuel. This has significantly reduced the waste sent to landfill in advance of the Biodegradable Waste Landfill Ban in 2026."
A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “The latest figures show that North Ayrshire Council currently has the second-highest recycling rate of all Scotland’s 32 local authorities, having been ranked seventh the previous year.
“Both council staff and residents across the area have played their part in this impressive improvement, especially given the challenges we faced during the pandemic.
“The annual report on household waste released by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) also shows that our council area recycled 56.3 per cent of household waste during the calendar year for 2021 – well above the current national average of 42.7 per cent.
“While we recognise further work is required, we are proud of the achievements we have made to date in improving recycling rates across North Ayrshire and will continue to make efforts to increase our recycling rates even further.”
A spokesperson for South Ayrshire Council said: "We are proud to have the third highest recycling rate in Scotland and in 2022 our Waste Management service received an APSE Striving for Excellence award.
"That said, we know there are still challenges and opportunities to improve. Over the coming year, we are set to promote food waste recycling in our communities, as we continue to push towards achieving national targets.”
Don't miss the latest Ayrshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter here
