Fife Council is to embark on its ambitious roll out programme starting in west Fife on September 17, with the central Fife and East Neuk regions set to follow later this year and in spring 2019.

The move follows the Fife authority’s signing up to national wide directives drawn up by the Scottish Government’s Zero Waste Taskforce.

The Household Recycling Charter, which the council signed up to in July 2016, brings it in line with the other 31 regional councils in regard to what can be recycled and how best to meet government targets.

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But what, in simple terms, does it mean for residents?

Well, the types of containers and packaging the local authority can recycle and the bins that the public will be required to put them in is set to change.

And the main area of changes affects the types of food cartons and wrappers which make up a proportion of our household waste.

There will be changes to the collection service.

Polystyrene, plastic bags and films, as well as plastic wrappers, will no longer be put in the green bin, but should now go into the council’s blue landfill blue bin.

The change, the council says, is in main due to the changing markets of what is economically viable to recycle as well as helping to bring Fife in line with the code of practice regarding Government guidelines.

Meanwhile, drinks and food cartons (examples include long-life milk, fruit juices, passata, liquid baby milk, soup, custard etc) will be recycled in the green ‘plastics’ bin and not the grey bin normally associated with all thing paper and cardboard based.

“The Code asks local authorities to collect food and drinks cartons alongside plastics and cans rather than paper and card,” explained a council spokesman.

It’s a move the spokesman added, will not only “save money”, but also “improve the quality of recycling collected and processed”.

“We are starting to make changes to reflect the requirements and will keep our website up to date with a list of what is accepted in recycling bins.

“We will also be rolling out a comprehensive communications campaign by the end of the year explaining the changes and reminding householders what can be recycled in each bin.

More information can be found online at www.fifedirect.org.uk/4bins

Your bin collection services are about to change - here's what you need to know