Waste is no-one’s idea of a glamorous subject, but when things don’t go right it’s an emotive one. No-one wants to see overflowing bins, fly-tipping or litter-strewn streets, parks and rivers.

I know first-hand just how frustrating this is, and I also sympathise with cleansing workers who have so much asked of them, especially over the festive season when horrendous amounts of waste tend to be produced. An overhaul of our waste and recycling system is needed to ensure residents and workers have confidence.

As Greens we want to see far less waste produced, to respect the limits of our planet’s resources and to help tackle climate breakdown. We need to make things last longer, through sharing, repairing, and reusing – because throwaway consumerism is at the root of many of the environmental problems Scotland and the world face, from water and air pollution to loss of places for plants and animals.

But we also need a waste system in our communities that meets people’s needs. Far too much of our waste isn’t being recycled and options are often limited, especially since most of us in Glasgow live in flats. I want everyone to be able to use a waste service that is modern, easy to use and encourages people to do the right thing.

That can’t happen overnight, but with Greens in Government we are already making big changes. My fellow Green Minister Lorna Slater is taking a Circular Economy Bill through Parliament that will give local councils and the Scottish Government the powers they need to transform our economy and tackle throwaway culture.

This new law will help ban more of the worst single-use plastics, tackle fly-tipping, support green businesses and empower community organisations. In Glasgow, we already see leaders in this sector like the incredible Dear Green Coffee, ApparelXchange and the Repair Cafe who do great work across Glasgow and in their communities.

Crucially, last month Lorna announced over £21 million of investment for Glasgow from the Scottish Government’s Recycling Improvement Fund. This funding was secured as a result of the agreement that brought the Greens into Government, and it’s the biggest investment in recycling for our city in a generation.

But what does this mean in practice? Glasgow will see better kerbside recycling for over 120,000 people and the construction of a new plant called a Material Recovery Facility. That means residents will be able to recycle more products including different plastics, pots, tubs and metals, and it will allow Glasgow to properly separate materials to then be sold and reused, generating much-needed income for local services. It will also keep jobs in the city, making the sector more attractive with better facilities for the workers we all rely on.

This is a game-changer for Glasgow as it sets out to recycle more than 10,000 tonnes of extra material every year. That will be good for the state of our city, but it will also tackle climate change, with emission cuts equal to taking thousands of cars off the roads.

It’s a big programme of change but the benefits are even bigger. With new laws, better infrastructure, more efficient services and workers with the tools to do the jobs they are committed to, Glasgow will become a cleaner and greener city.