Eco show in city recycling drive

The Aluminium Show uses recycled air conditioning vents

Performers from an eco-conscious Fringe show have joined a recycling drive in Edinburgh.

The cast of The Aluminium Show have swapped the stage for the streets to convince culture fans to use Edinburgh's on-street recycling bins.

Edinburgh City Council is stepping up a gear to cope with the huge influx of people into the city for the month of August.

During the festival the population can as much as double at any one time.

This year's festival will see new on-street recycling facilities in place for a trial period on the High Street and The Mound.

The new bins have four separate compartments for recyclable paper, cans and plastic bottles, as well as disposal of non-recyclable litter.

Robert Aldridge, Edinburgh City Council environment leader, said about 10 tonnes of rubbish a day would be lifted from the city during the festival.

He said: "The festival is a great time to trial these new bins as we have to put more resources in place to support the swell in population.

"The Aluminium Show has come up with an innovative way of recycling air conditioning vents in their show - hopefully this will inspire other people to think laterally about how they can reuse materials.

"Environmental wardens will be patrolling the city throughout the festivals period to deal with littering, fly-posting and other environmental as well as safety issues.

"Our aim is to keep the city safe and clean so it can be enjoyed by both residents and visitors alike. We hope they will all enjoy this year's festival season and help in their own way to make it one of the best yet."