Eilean Eisdeal - Trust Projects - Refuse, Sewage, and Recycling

Eilean Eisdeal Zero Waste & Recycling Initiative and Sewage Treatment Plant

Zero Waste and Recycling

Easdale Island has a population of 61 permanent residents and also many part time residents who can swell the population to double this size during the holiday seasons. At present domestic waste is collected in rubbish bags from islanders' doors once a week, transported off the island and finally taken to landfill. At present there are no facilities on the island for any type of recycling.

The waste problem on Easdale is one that the community have asked the Trust to tackle. Over the last 3-4 years, the Trust has carried out research into potential solutions and as a result has set up a Zero Waste and Recycling Initiative.

The aims of the initiative are:

to create a Zero Waste and Recycling Facility for the use of islanders and visitors

to turn organic waste produced from the households into an organic compost to augment the seriously depleted top soil on the island

to raise the awareness of islanders, visitors and members of the larger community to the needs for and benefits of recycling

to assist householders on Easdale to embrace the concept of zero waste and recycling and make it a constructive part of their lives

to document the setting up and running of a Zero Waste and Recycling facility in order to assist other communities who have plans for similar projects

Sewage Treatment Plant

Easdale Island is not connected to the mains sewerage system and each household has its own private septic tank. However, if any of these tanks should overflow, there is no way a vehicle can come over from the mainland to service them.

The Eilean Eisdeal Trust have been asked by the community to look into solutions for this problem and as a result are in the process of asking The Centre for Alternative Technology to advise them on an appropriate secondary sewage treatment scheme.