Residents of the Ilkley area are being invited to apply for free ‘garden waste’ wheelie bins from Bradford Council instead of using rubbish bags.

Bradford Council is beginning to roll out its new garden waste service this month.

Instead of using bags, residents are being invited to apply for free brown garden waste wheelie bins for kerbside collection.

While being more convenient for the householder to move their waste to the kerb it will also mean that waste is better contained, emptying the bins will be easier, and the whole service will be more efficient.

In a pilot programme carried out last year more than 5,000 residents took advantage of the offer. The plan is to extend the scheme by the end of this year, which could see the distribution of about 100,000 new wheelie bins.

Each household on existing collection rounds will be entitled to one free wheelie bin which will be collected every month. Each bin has the capacity of between three and five garden waste bags.

Anyone having more garden waste than this should take it to their local Household Waste Recycling Centre where it can be disposed of free of charge.

Existing garden waste bags can be kept for future use but they will no longer be emptied once the new bins have been delivered.

Houses scheduled for new bins will first receive leaflets informing them about the new service, what should be put in the bins and collection dates.

The leaflet will also include answers to the most frequently asked questions and information on how residents can order a garden bin. Residents will not be able to order a bin until they receive the leaflet.

Collection staff will also put tags on garden waste bags informing people that the bags are being emptied for the last time. The bags will not be emptied after the new bin service starts.

Residents can also compost some of their garden waste.

Coun Andrew Thornton, Bradford Council’s executive member for environment and sport, said: “I’m really pleased that we have been able to maintain and improve our garden waste kerbside collections service.

“We really appreciate the efforts made by residents to recycle and we want to make it as easy as possible for them.”