Plans have been announced for every home in Scotland to be provided with a bin especially for food waste as part of a sustainable cheap energy drive.
Local authorities will supply vermin-proof bins to hundreds and thousands of homes as part of a wider government plan to recycle all waste by 2025.
Currently more than two million tonnes of food is thrown away in Scotland every year and according to the government, half of this could be used to power a city like Dundee for six months.
Environment secretary Richard Lochhead, who announced the strategy, said Scotland is embarking on a zero waste policy to protect the local environment and provide a boost to the economy.
“Separating waste at the earliest possible stage will help recover the maximum value from different materials,” he said.
“By separating food waste, we will avoid contaminating other materials and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as generate more renewable energy.”