It's in the Bag - Lib Dems deliver FREE green waste sacks

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 11th Jul 2008

Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed, Lib Dem Cabinet member for Climate Change and Local Environment

Lib Dem's in charge of Sheffield City Council are making good on their promise to help local residents recycle their garden waste by providing supplies of free green waste sacks. Previously the Council charged local people £3 for three green waste sacks. Local people are now be able to pick up their sacks and arrange for them to collected once full - all for free!

Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, the Council's Cabinet member for Climate Change and Local Environment commented: "I'm delighted to announce that green waste sacks are now available at no cost to local people. Instead of charging £1 for each sack, local people will be able to collect their sacks and arrange to get them collected for free. This shows that we are delivering on our promise of making it easier for local people to recycle."

Around 45,000 homes in Sheffield already have green bin collections for their garden waste, but this scheme is aimed at the remaining areas of the city. 200,000 sacks have been allocated for this scheme and up to six sacks will be issued free of charge to residents per visit when collecting them from libraries, First Point and housing offices and the Town Hall. Instructions will be available with the sacks to arrange collection of the sacks when they are full.

Cllr Mohammed added: "To start with 200,000 sacks will be available on a first come, first served basis. We will be monitoring the take-up of this offer to see how things go. But we are determined to expand recycling services, which is in line with what local people have told us they want to see from their local council."