In 2021, the Scottish Government launched the £70 million Recycling Improvement Fund (RIF), a five-year programme providing capital funding grants to local authorities for improving recycling infrastructure and services across the country.
It is one of the biggest investments in recycling infrastructure to date in Scotland and will accelerate progress towards Scotland’s ambitious waste and recycling targets and net zero commitments.
Local authorities across Scotland have applied to the fund to take forward projects that will increase both the quantity and quality of recycling whilst delivering wider environmental benefits. Partnership approaches are encouraged where there is potential to maximise impact.
About the fund
Application proposals must be consistent with the overarching aim of the fund, which is to “accelerate progress towards 2025 waste and recycling targets and Scotland’s net-zero carbon commitment, by strengthening and improving local authority recycling infrastructure, resulting in increased consistency of collection, improvements to the quality and quantity of material collected, and wider environmental and carbon benefits”.
The total grant allocation will be budgeted annually, subject to regular review. Funding is still available and we advise local authorities to contact their Recycling Partner.
Currently, local authority awards have been made for a diverse range of projects. These include service changes to increase kerbside and communal recycling provision, in-cab technologies to support operational efficiencies, and new treatment infrastructure to sort and recycle plastic films.
Recycling Improvement Fund (RIF) application process and eligibility criteria
Information for local authorities on the Recycling Improvement Fund application process and eligibility criteria.
Predicted impact
Funded projects
Funding has been given to 25 local authorities across Scotland.
Recycling and reuse
More than 60,000 tonnes of additional material is now recycled or reused each year.
Carbon saving
Projects funded by the program are expected to save around 60,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.
Overall impact
The carbon savings expected from the fund is the same as taking 32,000 cars off the road for a year.
Funded projects
To date, a total of £63 million has been awarded to 43 projects, from 25 local authorities across Scotland.
Funding awarded under the Recycling Improvement Fund is shown in the table below or view funding awarded under the Recycling Improvement Fund – Small Grants Scheme here.
| Local authority | Project | Funding awarded |
| Aberdeen City | Installation of radio frequency ID tags for communal bins | £220,000 |
| Aberdeen City | Expansion of reuse service at Hazlehead Recycling Centre to include weatherproof storage and a mini shop | £36,450 |
| Aberdeen City | Improvement works at Sclattie waste transfer station to increase recycling and reuse | £933,668 |
| Aberdeenshire | In-cab technology and route optimisation software for full fleet | £250,000 |
| Aberdeenshire | Implement a twin-stream recycling service for all households | £3,540,415 |
| Angus Council | Introduction of twin-stream kerbside recycling service and expansion of glass recycling point network | £2,843,473 |
| Argyll and Bute | Improvements to household waste recycling centres to maximise recycling and reuse opportunities | £891,945 |
| Clackmannanshire | In-cab technology to target contamination and improve route efficiency | £29,688 |
| Clackmannanshire | Introduction of twin-stream kerbside recycling and reduced frequency residual waste collections across the region | £583,890 |
| Comhairle nan Eilean Siar | Redesign of collection service, purchase of collection containers, including bins and bottle banks, and purchase of electric refuse collection vehicle | £846,012 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | The introduction of a chargeable garden waste collection service to all households across the Council area | £2,331,405 |
| Dundee | In-cab technology to target contamination and improve route efficiency | £87,962 |
| Dundee City | Improvements to two HWRCs to increase the range and amount of material that can be recycled and improve the accessibility of the site to residents | £693,383 |
| East Ayrshire | Small Grant Scheme - Improvement to recycling and food waste infrastructure at flatted properties | £139,843 |
| East Lothian | Introduction of a weekly kerbside sort recycling service | £2,747,531 |
| Edinburgh | Redesign of waste and recycling service to approximately 130,000 households through installing on-street recycling close to residents’ dwellings | £8,492,465 |
| Fife | Introduction of plastic film recycling to households and the installation of a new optical sorter within a material recovery facility | £470,000 |
| Glasgow | Introduction of a twin-stream kerbside recycling service to 120,000 households and the construction of a new material recycling facility | £21,202,000 |
| Highland | Introduction of twin-stream kerbside recycling and expansion of weekly food waste collection service | £6,550,302 |
| Highland | Expansion of garden waste collection service | £208,500 |
| Midlothian | In cab technology to monitor collections and target contamination | £34,100 |
| Midlothian | Transition to twin-stream collection service and reduced frequency of residual waste for kerbside and communal properties | £2,322,042 |
| Midlothian | Expansion of Food Waste service to cover rural properties. | £132,085 |
| North Ayrshire | In-cab technology to target contamination and improve route efficiency | £6,856 |
| North Ayrshire | Household waste recycling centre improvements, including infrastructure to support reuse of furniture and mattresses | £74,535 |
| North Lanarkshire | Improvements to communal recycling for flatted properties | £276,840 |
| Perth & Kinross | Expansion of recycling service to Perth City Centre and introduction of twin-steam recycling collection service to kerbside properties | £2,720,775 |
| Renfrewshire | Household waste recycling centre improvements to maximise recycling and reuse opportunities | £374,370 |
| Renfrewshire | Improvements to Kerbside Recycling Service to widen access and ensure equity of service across local authority area | £756,942 |
| South Ayrshire | Purchase of on-the-go recycling bins | £90,000 |
| South Ayrshire | Introduction of recycling bins to schools | £166,090 |
| Stirling | Upgrade their household waste recycling centres and expand the reuse of items in partnership with Transition Stirling and NHS Forth Valley | £234,035 |
| West Lothian | Introduction of a twin-stream collection service plus improvements to communal collection points, introduction of road end collections, and the purchase of transformative data gathering chips | £4,047,233 |
