Service launched to boost city office recycling rates

An entrepreneur behind a UK-wide, Musselburgh-based commercial cleaning firm is launching a service aiming to improve recycling in city centre offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Brightwaste aims to help offices improve their recycling and avoid fines. Picture: Contributed

Brightwaste, which runs a fleet of electric vans, is a spin-off from Spotless, which was founded by Roger Green in 1988 and now has an annual turnover of £12 million and 1,200 staff.

Green said the new venture helps firms avoid fines for not sorting and disposing of waste properly, adding: “To recycle responsibly you need systems. That’s what we provide.”

Businesses now have a legal duty to present metal, plastic, glass, paper and card separately for collection or face fines from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency ranging from a £300 fixed penalty up to a fine of £10,000 for persistent failures.

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Green added: “At Spotless we subcontracted our waste management service for a while but I soon realised that we could offer our customers a better service tailored to their individual needs.

“There has to be a better way than jamming our city centres with multiple bin lorries that contaminate recycled waste so the idea of setting up our own waste collection service grew from there and led to the launch of Brightwaste.”

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