Midlothian Council has decided — without proper public consultation — to introduce a third household bin across Midlothian. While the council may present this as a positive step for recycling, the reality for residents is far more concerning.
This change will directly affect every household, and in its current form it is unworkable, impractical, and likely to create serious environmental and public health issues.
As local residents and a long-established Midlothian business, Pentland Locksmiths believes this decision deserves scrutiny and open discussion.
Current Bin System in Midlothian
At present, households in Midlothian manage with two bins:
A blue bin for cardboard, paper, cans, and recyclable materials
A grey/black bin for general non-recyclable waste
Collections operate on a fortnightly cycle:
One week: blue bin
The next week: grey bin
Even with this system, many households already struggle to avoid overflowing bins due to the two-week gap between collections. Families, pet owners, and working households regularly find bin capacity stretched to its limit — yet residents make the effort and somehow manage.
What Midlothian Council Is Proposing
Under the new system, Midlothian Council plans to:
Introduce a third bin (green) dedicated solely to cardboard
Extend general waste collections to every three weeks
This means households will now have three bins, but less frequent collection of the most problematic waste of all — general rubbish.
Why a Three-Week General Waste Collection Will Fail
Reducing general waste collections to once every three weeks is not realistic for modern households.
The likely consequences are obvious and unavoidable:
Grey bins will overflow
Excess waste will be left beside bins or dumped in bags
Vermin such as rats and foxes will be attracted
Waste will be strewn across streets, gardens, and communal areas
Rotting rubbish will smell, particularly during warmer months
The overall effect will be a dirtier, unhealthier local environment
This is not speculation — it is a predictable outcome based on basic household waste volumes.
Recycling Should Not Come at the Cost of Cleanliness and Health
Most Midlothian residents already support recycling and actively participate in it. However, recycling policies must work in the real world — not just on spreadsheets.
Introducing another recycling bin while reducing general waste services feels less like environmental progress and more like cost-cutting dressed up as green policy.
Without sufficient general waste collection, the system is destined to fail — and residents will be left dealing with the consequences.
Lack of Consultation Is a Major Concern
Perhaps most frustrating of all is the apparent lack of meaningful consultation with residents.
Decisions that affect every household should involve:
Open discussion
Public feedback
Real-world testing
Instead, residents are being told to accept a system that many already know will not work.
A Local Business Perspective
As a family-run, local business, Pentland Locksmiths works daily in communities across Midlothian. We see firsthand how quickly neglected waste, poor maintenance, and environmental decline affect neighbourhoods.
Clean streets and well-managed services matter — not just to businesses, but to everyone who lives and works locally.
Midlothian Council Must Rethink This Decision
If Midlothian Council genuinely wants to improve recycling and protect the environment, it must:
Maintain realistic general waste collection intervals
Consult properly with residents
Trial changes before full rollout
Prioritise public health and cleanliness
Without changes, this policy risks creating more pollution, more vermin, and more frustration, not a greener Midlothian.
This article reflects the views and concerns of local residents and Pentland Locksmiths. It is not official guidance from Midlothian Council.
