New weekly recycling collections have made East Lothian Council an "industry leader" when it comes to producing clean material, it has been claimed.
The local authority introduced a sixth waste receptacle to households late last year as it looked to improve kerbside collections.
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And at a meeting of the council's cabinet today, its head of infrastructure Tom Reid hailed the new service as a success.
He told cabinet that although figures were still not available to compare the impact of the additional collection the council was producing "industry -leading" material.
He said: "While other local authorities are having to pay to have recycling waste separated we are not."
The council introduced white weighted bags to homes for them to "wash and squash" plastic bottles, tins and cartons into as it increased collections in November.
The bags join a food waste caddy, green household waste bin, brown garden waste bin, a blue box for paper and cardboard and a green or black box for glass bottles and jars householders are asked to use.
Mr Reid acknowledged some teething problems had been encountered when the new bags were first introduced along with new weekly collections due to Brexit and Covid impact.
However he said they had quickly resolved issues and the service was now working well although he said figures for the new recycling service would be unlikely to be available until the end of the financial year.
The East Lothian system sees vehicles adapted to empty the different receptacles into separate compartments introduced to allow more regular kerbside collection and cutting the separation work needed once the rubbish is taken back to centres.
Most other local authorities collect different recycling materials in one wheelie bin or similar receptacle leading to more separating work being needed and risking the materials, which can be sold to private firms, being less "clean".
Mr Reid's comments were made as part of an annual report into the council's ongoing climate change strategy.
It set out a number of key achievements in its annual review including successfully claiming £1.1m of Scottish Government funding for energy efficiency schemes including installing wall insulation and air source heat pumps in areas of fuel poverty and upgrading 385 central heating systems.
A vehicle to grid trial which sees energy from an electric car battery pushed back into the National Grid when not being used is also underway at the council's Penston House base as well as the installation of 55 new electric vehicle chargers taking the number publicly available in the county up to 111.
Council leader Norman Hampshire said the report showed the work which was being done to meet climate targets in East Lothian.
He said: "This annual update provides a clear indication of East Lothian Council’s progress as an organisation and employer to reduce its carbon footprint and also identifies actions and achievements within our local communities."
