In a move to deliver an upgraded environmentally responsible waste management service and encourage households to ‘Reduce. Re-use. Recycle.’ Douglas Borough Council is to introduce a garden waste disposal service to complement its kerbside collection operation, together with fortnightly refuse collections.

Fortnightly domestic garden waste collections will begin this summer, thereafter operating between February and October, with eligible households supplied with a 240-litre wheelie bin for their garden waste. One month after the introduction of the green waste service, the revised refuse collection service will begin.

Support will be provided to households having difficulty minimising their waste; customers will, however, need to demonstrate they are already using the other waste disposal options provided by the Council’s kerbside collection service, which accepts paper, white, grey and brown card, aluminium and steel cans, textiles, plastic and glass bottles.

Items classified as acceptable green waste are:

• Grass cuttings;

• Hedge cuttings;

• Leaves, bark and tree prunings;

• Twigs and small branches up to 5cm (2”) across;

• Bedding from herbivore pets e.g. rabbits, guinea pigs;

• Cut flowers;

• Plants and weeds.

Environment and Regeneration Committee Chair Councillor Falk Horning (pictured) said: ‘While these new measures will lead to some savings, the main driver for the change is not financial but for sound environmental reasons. As a UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man partner the Council is committed to strengthening its green credentials and encouraging responsible waste management behaviours. The changes we are introducing will support the right behaviour.’

The Council will be providing advice and assistance over the coming months to all households, which will include assessments of individual households with complex waste capacity requirements. Additional recyclable receptacles will be available to all households, so capacity in real terms will be the same.