Kim thinks recycling bins are just Wilde!

Top gardener and singing star Kim Wilde has welcomed the arrival of a new recycling scheme. During the next few weeks thousands of residents across North Herts will be getting a brown recycling bin as the district council expands its garden waste collection service.

Kim, who lives in the Codicote area, said: “It’s a great opportunity for the residents of North Herts to recycle more items on their doorstep and help their own environment by reducing the amount of waste going to landfill.”

The council says the district-wide scheme will save 6,000 tonnes from landfill each year. This figure will rise when a new plant capable of recycling kitchen waste comes on line at the end of the year.

At the moment residents cannot put kitchen waste in the brown bins because of potential contamination with meat products. To encourage residents to use the bins properly, the council is running a competition in June. One household a day, selected at random between June 5 and 16, will win £20 worth of garden centre vouchers. All they need to do is put out their brown bin with the correct material in it on their collection day. The lucky winners will be notified by letter.

Gardeners in North Herts who want to compost garden waste rather than put it in brown bins can get home composters at subsidised prices.

For more information on the brown bin scheme or any of the other recycling services offered by the council, contact Jo Lines on 01462 474336 or email recycling@north-herts.gov.uk