REHIS News

Scots are recycling more food waste than ever according to new reports published by Zero Waste Scotland.

A total of approximately 158,500 tonnes of household and commercial solid food waste was collected in 2017, compared with the 2013 figure of 111,500 tonnes.

The increase had prevented the equivalent of 41,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere - the same as taking more than 22,000 cars off the roads for a year or driving around the world 5829 times.

Water and environment testing will be carried out at St Ambrose and Buchanan high school campus in Coatbridge.

This is part of an independent review that is being conducted in relation to reported health and safety concerns at two Coatbridge schools after water supply contamination fears. The review team is looking at specific health and safety concerns as well as the history, construction and maintenance of the school campus.

The Scottish Government is considering a proposal to charge consumers 20 to 25p for single-use disposable cups, after an expert panel found it would encourage more use of reusable alternatives.

Ayrshire new potatoes are to be granted protected geographic indication (PGI) status by the EU at the end of the month, after a three- year campaign to be given the status. 

The potatoes, also known as Ayrshire Earlies, will be one of 15 listed PGIs in Scotland and includes Scotch whisky, Stornoway Black Pudding and Scottish salmon. 

Health boards in Scotland are to be given a share of £1.7 million to deliver new standards for weight management services for children and young people. 

The Scottish government funding is part of a plan to halve the number of overweight under-18s by 2030 and reduce diet-related health inequalities.

It is a reaction to growing inequality in the levels of obesity between children in the wealthiest and poorest areas of Scotland.

Local Authorities in Scotland have dealt with more than 60,000 complaints about pests in local authority housing in the last three years. 

The figures were obtained by the Liberal Democrats using Freedom of Information showed councils across Scotland reported the following number of complaints:

• 2016 – 22,236
• 2017 – 17,567
• 2018 – 21,365

Therefore, over the past three years a total of 61,168 complaints were received. 

A Nairn restaurant and take-away owner has been prosecuted by the Highland Council after officers from Environmental Health uncovered a catalogue of unsafe food hygiene practices.   

An inspection of the Al Raj Restaurant, in Harbour Street, Nairn was carried out on 21 September 2017 as part of Operation Hottah which is a multi-agency operation involving officers from Environmental Health, Police Scotland, Home Office Immigration Enforcement and HMRC. 

Children in deprived areas are exposed to significantly more tobacco sales than those from wealthier neighbourhoods. 

This was the finding of new collaborative research between the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, which was published in the journal Tobacco Control.

The researchers used GPS-trackers to follow a group of almost 700 10-and-11-year-olds from across Scotland. 

They found that children from the most deprived neighbourhoods encounter a shop selling tobacco 149 times a week, compared to just 23 times a week for the least deprived.

With less than a year to go until the establishment of Public Health Scotland, Health Secretary Jeanne Freeman has confirmed the appointment of Professor Jim McGoldrick, as Shadow Chair of Public Health Scotland.

Professor McGoldrick is current Convenor of the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and a Board Member of the Care Inspectorate. He is also a Member of the Disability and Carer Benefits Expert Advisory Group.

A washing machine and tumble dryer are to be installed at a school in Glasgow following an infestation of bed bugs. 

St Bride's Primary is located in the Strathbungo area, which Glasgow City Council said had been affected by pest control issues for several years. 

The council said free to use washing and drying machines are to be installed in the school in the coming months to help tackle the issue and will be used to boil wash clothes of children whose families do not have available facilities.