New green bin for paper and card coming for Midlothian residents
Midlothian Council is introducing a new green-coloured household recycling bin for paper, card, and cardboard from spring 2026.
Starting in March
Collections for the new service start in March, with bins set to be delivered to residents across the county in January and February.
As part of the changes, blue bins currently used for mixed recycling will be exclusively for cans, cartons, plastic bottles, tubs and trays.
Beneficial and sustainable
The revised arrangements will improve the quality of recycling and make collections more efficient by cutting the amount of material coming into contact with food residue - which often cannot then be reused.
Separating paper and card from plastics and cans will also allow further sorting to take place, which means that a greater variety of packaging types can be recycled correctly.
This means that an increased volume of waste recovered through household recycling in Midlothian can be sent on for processing, which is more economically and environmentally sustainable for everyone.
Collections
Green bins will be emptied every third week, with grey and blue bins also moving to a three-week collection cycle. Glass boxes and, for residents with a garden waste permit, brown bins will continue to be picked up every fortnight. Food waste caddie collections will continue on a weekly basis. Collection days may also change for some services.
Assisted pullout customers will have their green bins delivered directly to their usual storage point, while flats may be provided with alternative solutions and will be notified separately. Our Trade Waste team will also contact businesses to discuss any changes to services.
Letters explaining plans are being sent to residents, and further information will be made available closer to the time via the Midlothian Council website and social media feeds.
Conserving resources
Cabinet Secretary for Community Facilities, Climate Change and Environment Councillor Dianne Alexander met waste and recycling staff as Midlothian’s first green bins arrived ahead of their delivery to households.
Explaining the initiative, Cllr Alexander said:
“Everything we recycle helps conserve precious resources and means less energy is needed to make new products from scratch. By keeping paper and card separate and clean, we can recycle more of what we use and reduce carbon emissions.
“We know it’s a change, but if everyone gets behind this, it will make a big contribution to Midlothian’s journey to net zero, helping to assure a cleaner and greener environment for future generations.
£2.3m grant
The changes to Midlothian’s waste and recycling services are being supported by a £2.3m grant from the Scottish Government’s Recycling Improvement Fund. The majority of councils across Scotland are moving to a similar collection model in line with the Charter for Household Waste Recycling.
David Gunn, Recycling Improvement Fund Manager at Zero Waste Scotland said:
"Zero Waste Scotland are proud to support local authorities to make improvements to their reuse and recycling services. The Recycling Improvement Fund empowers local authorities to influence lasting behaviour change, helping Scotland progress towards a cleaner, greener and more circular economy."
In the picture
Cllr Dianne Alexander gets a demonstration from recycling staff as the first of Midlothian’s new green bins arrive.
Pictured (l-r) are Robert Dickson, Recycling Driver; Andrew Walker, Recycling Team Leader; Lindy Rose, Recycling Collector; Cllr Dianne Alexander; Willie Reid Recycling Operational/Contracts Manager.
More information
For more information on Midlothian's recycling services, please visit www.midlothian.gov.uk/recycling