Local residents are being encouraged to make their daily lives even more sustainable by purchasing a bargain compost bin or water butt in special offers by the Council in partnership with manufacturers Straight Plc. Now is a great time of your to buy one in preparation for the Spring.

The compost bins are being sold even cheaper than last year – starting at a recession-busting £18.50 including delivery. Water butts that can save up to 5,000 litres of water for a garden every year are available for between £38 and £48 dependent on size.

Composting at home not only enables residents to feed their garden for free but also cuts down on the amount of waste going to landfill. By composting or collecting water local residents are helping tackle the causes and effects of climate change.

Households in England throw away around 4 million tonnes of waste every year which could have been composted – this amounts to about 30% of a household bin. The Council estimates that some 20,000 compost bins are in operation throughout the district.

What can be composted?

Uncooked kitchen waste, vegetable and fruit peelings, tea bags, coffee grounds and egg shells as well as small amounts of cardboard and shredded paper can all be composted. This waste mixed with green garden waste such as grass cuttings, annual weeds and clippings makes a free soil improver for your plants and vegetables.

What are water butts?

They are available in 2 sizes – 100 litres suitable for small gardens and or those with limited space and 190 litres butts. Water butts offer an alternative to tapping into mains water supply for watering your garden by collecting rainwater for free, helping save both money and resources. One of these 190 litre water butts can save up to 5,000 litres of water for your garden every year.

Find out more, view the compost bins and water butts and to order online visit: www.bathnes.getcomposting.com or call the order helpline on 0845 130 60 90