Dumfries and Galloway Council finds use for thousands of unneeded bins

Thousands of 44 litre recycling boxes were bought for a waste collection scheme which was never rolled out

A use has been found for thousands of bins which were bought by a council for a waste collection system which was never rolled out.

Dumfries and Galloway Council looks set to give out the containers to store plastic to take to recycling centres.

The local authority said they could be used by householders until a kerbside collection was put in place.

Following that it said the bins could then be used to store glass to be taken to deposit facilities.

Dumfries and Galloway Council bought more than 450,000 bins, lids and nets for a new five-bin collection system which was meant to be used across the region.

Storage costs

However, it was introduced in part of the region in 2014 but - due to a range of issues - the rollout was delayed and then, ultimately, cancelled.

A new three wheelie-bin system is now being planned.

The council has spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on storing the unneeded equipment it purchased for the scheme it shelved.

It is now being proposed that some of the 120,000 44-litre boxes it bought for the system could find a use.

They would be given out as "recycling boxes" to households across the region.

A report to councillors has recommended giving the plans the green light.