The council is sending out a consultation document to every home in the district giving people the chance to air their views on the controversial topic.

It will be accompanied by a leaflet about the reintroduction of weekly bin collections, which will start on December 3, and Christmas collection arrangements.

Councillor Amanda Stewart, convener of the council's connect services committee, said: "When people receive the consultation document I would encourage them to fill it in and let us have their views, which will influence how we will develop waste and recycling policy in the future."

She added: "As we are implementing our promise to reintroduce weekly bin collections and free special uplifts next week, it is important to remind everyone how important it is that we continue to recycle as much as possible.

"Future policy will look at how we can continue to increase recycling rates. The public are an important factor in this. If every household commits to recycle as much as they can, we will be able to increase our recycling rates beyond this year's predicted level of 35 per cent and meet future targets."

But the consultation has been slated by the Lib Dem MP Jo Swinson.
She said: "East Dunbartonshire Council is spending £32,000 of taxpayer's money on an environment survey that ignores the issue of weekly or fortnightly collections.

"The issue has been dominating East Dunbartonshire for months, but they have chosen to omit this key question from the survey.

"Liberal Democrat councillors pressed for a question seeking views on frequency of refuse collections to be included in the survey, but this was rejected by councillors from the other parties."

Anyone with any questions relating to the recycling and refuse consultation, or the reintroduction of weekly bin collections and free special uplifts, should contact the council's recycling and waste advice line on 0845 045 0157.

The consultation document can also be completed online at www.ibp.eu.com/edcwaste.