Plans for a zero waste Scotland, including tough new targets to increase recycling and reduce landfill, were outlined today.

In a statement to Parliament, as well as announcing that £7.5 million is to be invested in community recycling projects over the next three years, Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead proposed to consult on new targets including:

• the amount of municipal waste being recycled or composted is to be increased to 60 per cent by 2020 and a new target of 70 per cent by 2025
• landfill from municipal waste is to be reduced to five per cent by 2025; and -no more than 25 per cent of municipal waste is to be used to generate energy by 2025 and large, inefficient incinerators are to be rejected; and -keeping the existing challenging target of stopping the growth in municipal waste by 2010

More information.