STRUGGLING social enterprise Greenlight Environmental has collapsed into administration, it has been announced.

Earlier this month, Greenlight applied for voluntary administration, and all 109 staff have now been given 45-day redundancy notices.

Recycling centres in Old Kilpatrick at Erskine Ferry Road, and at Dalmoak in Renton, closed on Friday afternoon.

West Dunbartonshire Council said a potential buyer had withdrawn, forcing the firm to go into administration.

They announced on social media: "There will be no access to either site and residents are advised not to attend.

"Other affected services include the care of gardens scheme, high rise and tenemental recycling collections and recycling glass collections.

"As a council we will be working to ensure continuation of service provision and our employability team will be offering every support to affected staff.

"We will provide a further update once information is available."

GMB Scotland Organiser Hazel Nolan said: “Our message to the three councils is straightforward: step-in now and save Greenlight.

"Greenlight’s administration will mean the closure of civic amenities, disruption to collections and ultimately, our members’ responsibilities will be picked-up by other services already under strain.

"The obvious move is for West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde and Argyll & Bute Councils to take these jobs, services and infrastructures into council ownership.

"This will ensure the delivery of existing services for the public and maintain sustainable levels of staffing for that service delivery, while defending local employment.”

A spokeswoman for the council told the Post: "We are deeply disappointed by the withdrawal of a buyer for Greenlight and recognise that today's news will be a huge blow for workers and their families, many of whom live in West Dunbartonshire. 

"Our employability team will be offering every support to affected staff over the coming days. As a council we will be working to ensure continuation of service provision.”

The collapse came just days after councillors agreed to continue supporting workers at Wednesday's full council meeting.

Labour Councillor David McBride put forward a motion to calling for chief executive Joyce White to work with other councils to find a solution. It would include an option to take the services and jobs in house at the council if Greenlight couldn't continue trading.

The SNP's Councillor Iain McLaren offered an amendment saying the local authority was already working with the GMB trade union and others to find a solution and to present any options to council should Greenlight go bust.

SNP and Labour agreed to merge the two similar positions, which was agreed by members.

Councillor Jim Bollan dissented as he wanted the council to push for workers to be employed by the council as a preferred solution.

A total of £1.4 million is spent each year on services from Greenlight, including the care of garden scheme and recycling and environmental maintenance.