Green fingers rewarded for recycling

Leading councillors said that by claiming the free compost, residents in the borough can directly benefit from their efforts to recycle through the authority's green waste service. According to council figures, composting rates have increased by about 17 per cent since the green waste bin scheme was introduced by waste bosses in September 2006.

Doncaster's overall recycling and composting rate currently stands at 40 per cent. The council estimates that amount of waste diverted from landfill by the green waste scheme has so far saved 200,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases from being released in to the atmosphere.

Coun Mark Thompson, the council's waste spokesman, said: "Recycling benefits the council taxpayer and most importantly the local environment. The free compost is our way of saying thank you to residents."