Composting reminder as gardeners spring into action

12.00.00am GMT Thu 22nd Mar 2007

As gardens burst back into life with the arrival of spring, Richmond Council is reminding green-fingered residents to recycle their garden waste.

The borough has the highest home composting rate in London and this year the Council's EcoAction team is urging more gardeners and allotment holders to adopt the recycling habit. It has never been easier to recycle garden waste. Compost bins are available from the Council for only £8 and are delivered to the home - paper, cardboard, fruit and vegetable peelings can also be thrown in. Residents can hire a green waste wheeled bin from the Council for £30 a year or buy special compostable sacks for £1 each which are both collected fortnightly. Garden waste can also be taken to the re-use and recycling centre in Townmead Road, Kew.

Cllr Martin Elengorn, Cabinet Member for Environment on Richmond Council, said:

"Recycling and composting garden and food waste, as well as paper and cardboard, is vital in combating climate change as these materials produce hazardous methane gas when they are sent to landfill. There are lots of ways to recycle garden waste from composting at home, to using the Council's paid for kerbside collection service or even taking it free of charge to the re-use and recycling centre in Kew."