COUNCIL officers have responded after a survey revealed that Argyll and Bute had the highest bulky waste uplift cost in Scotland.
Figures released by businesswaste.co.uk claimed that the area was the second most expensive for the service in the UK, with a minimum price of £80.90.
Runnymede Borough Council, located southwest of London, was the only authority with a higher minimum price at £85.
A spokesperson for Argyll and Bute Council said that while the authority would like to keep charges lower, funding challenges prevented it from doing so.
A statement from businesswaste.co.uk relating to Argyll and Bute Council said: “The council does not offer any discounts and doesn’t appear to offer fridge collections, according to their website.
“The charge covers a 10-minute collection but does not go into detail on how many items they will collect. The council area is home to many islands and remote towns, perhaps explaining the higher collection costs.”
A spokesperson for Argyll and Bute Council said: “Where items are in good condition, we would always encourage householders to first consider donating bulky items to one of their local Re-use services.
“When buying new white goods, many suppliers will remove the old unwanted appliances for a small charge. Argyll and Bute’s geography can have an impact on the costs of delivering this service.
“The cost for our bulk uplift service covers staff, vehicle, fuel and the charges we have to pay for disposal. We would like to keep charges lower, but year on year funding challenges mean this is unfortunately not an option.”
Orkney Council was the only other Scottish council in the top 10 of the survey, with a minimum price of £69.50.
Scotland was found to be the third most expensive UK region as classed by the report, with an average cost for one item of £33.71.
The southeast and east of England were the two regions ranked above Scotland.
