Jackie Baillie has slammed the SNP-Green government’s environmental record as figures reveal more than 22,000 tonnes of waste from both West Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute were sent to landfill in 2021.

Just over a third of household waste in West Dunbartonshire was recycled in 2021, and just under two fifths in Argyll and Bute – falling short of the Scottish Government’s target of 60 percent by 2020.

The Dumbarton constituency MSP warned that the Labour-led administration in West Dunbartonshire is being failed by the Scottish Government’s lack of leadership, which has seen Scotland-wide recycling rates slump to a pitiful 42.7 percent.

Both West Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute Council have also been financially impacted due to legislation passed by the Scottish Government. Because of this, costs to Barr Environmental Ltd for a waste contract have risen which is not budgeted for and arose due to an error by the SNP Government. This has cost West Dunbartonshire Council alone £1.5million while funds are already stretched, putting frontline services at risk.

This is the latest in a series of environmental embarrassments for the SNP-Green government, including a stark warning from the Climate Change Committee that their statutory climate targets were at risk of becoming “meaningless” after they missed seven out of 11 legally-binding targets.

Jackie Baillie said: “These dismal figures lay bare the reality behind the SNP-Green government’s hollow environmental rhetoric.

“They claim to recognise the scale of the climate emergency, but missed targets and broken promises pile up around us.

“In West Dunbartonshire, Helensburgh and Lomond and right across Scotland recycling rates are stuck well below targets. On top of that, due to error on the part of the Scottish Government, fulfilling waste contracts is costing both Councils money which is not budgeted for and is pushing them further into financial despair.

“The SNP-Green government’s usual mismanagement and spin won’t cut it – we need bold action to boost recycling rates across the Dumbarton constituency and build a greener, fairer Scotland.”