Registrations are open for fortnightly garden waste collections this summer.

In the future Douglas Council will be running the service between February and October each year and it will accompany kerbside recycling collections.

Eligible households are now being encouraged to register for a new 240-litre wheelie bin for garden waste by contacting the council.

Once the garden waste collection service is underway, the household refuse collections will move from weekly to fortnightly.

It’s anticipated this will begin from late summer onwards.

The Eastern Civic Amenity Site will continue to provide skips for garden waste if that’s preferred.

However, if households don’t have room for a garden waste bin, bagged garden waste will be accepted subject to assessment.

Items that can be included in the garden waste bin include grass and hedge cuttings, leaves, bark, tree prunings, twigs and small branches, flowers, plants, and weeds.

Food waste will not be permitted however fallen fruit or vegetables from the garden are allowed.

Householders are also asked not to put invasive, non-native species such as Japanese knotweed in their garden waste bin.

Environmental services committee chair Councillor Falk Horning said: ‘As a UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man partner, the council has a responsibility to ensure residential waste is disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.

‘We hope these new changes will encourage responsible waste management behaviours across the community; helping residents reduce the volume of waste they produce and maximise the amount they recycle.’

He added: ‘We appreciate there will be a period of adjustment and we will work to address any questions or issues from the public as quickly as possible.

‘Support can be provided to households having difficulty minimising their waste; residents will, however, need to demonstrate they are already using the other waste disposal options provided by the council’s kerbside recycling collection service.

‘We are actively encouraging eligible households to register for their new garden waste collection bin as soon as possible and welcome everyone’s support in embracing these changes for the good of our island.’

Specific collection dates for the garden waste collection service will be announced ‘in due course’, according to Douglas Council.

Further information will be available on the Douglas Council website.

To register for a garden waste collection wheelie bin, contact Douglas Council via email at [email protected] or by telephone on 696448.