Leading business organisation Aberdeen Inspired will host a tender of trade waste services in the city centre.
The tender process is being funded by Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) who awarded a grant to provide consultancy support to work towards the Scottish Government’s targets of recycling and reducing waste.
Aberdeen is one of three areas across Scotland to benefit from this funding.
Aberdeen Inspired has already hosted an engagement meeting with Trade Waste Contractors to get their input into the process.
The tender seeks to get the best possible terms for city centre businesses and to ensure everyone has access to the best possible prices.
In addition, trade waste suppliers will be challenged to propose innovative solutions to increased recycling and provide advice on how waste should be collected and stored in the city centre.
The tender will be published on Monday, January 15, with a decision to be made in March.
The panel will include a representative from ZWS as well as two representatives from city centre businesses.
Geoff Cooper, city centre manager, said: “This is a very positive step forward for Aberdeen city centre. We are delighted to host this tender which seeks to select a preferred supplier of waste services in the city centre.
“Every business will have the opportunity to take advantage of the terms agreed in the tender.
“We often get feedback regarding trade waste bins in the city centre and I’m confident our local business organisations will support us in delivering this new initiative, to help us continue to create a more attractive and welcoming city centre.”
Zero Waste Scotland launched the Resource Efficient Scotland programme in 2013 to help small to medium sized businesses and organisations save money and energy by using resources more efficiently.
Iain Gulland, chief executive, Zero Waste Scotland, said: “We know many businesses share our vision of maximising resource efficiency and keeping costly waste to a minimum. That’s why it’s fantastic to see BID organisations like Aberdeen Inspired tackle costly and unsightly waste head on.
“Using investment from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), we are delighted to support Aberdeen Inspired to deliver savings for small businesses, reduce their environmental impact and help make Aberdeen city centre a better place in which to live and work.”
In addition, Aberdeen Inspired is working with Aberdeen City Council to develop a trade waste policy to go to the authority’s Finance, Policy and Resource committee on Thursday, February 1 as part of a joined-up approach to tackle and resolve the problem of bins being stored on city streets.
Mr Cooper said: “I look forward to seeing this policy playing its part in encouraging all businesses to manage their waste in a responsible way and not to store it for long periods of time in unsightly bins that block our pavements.”
Aberdeen Inspired is the banner under which the Aberdeen Business Improvement District (BID) operates. It is a business-led initiative within the city centre in which levy payers within the BID zone contribute.
Proceeds are used to fund projects designed to improve the business district. Due to its on-going success, the organisation won 2017 European BID of the Year in July.
More information about Aberdeen Inspired is available at: www.aberdeeninspired.com