THE great Poole bin swap is due to get underway in June as the council starts a massive replacement programme which will take months to complete.

Around 67,500 households in the borough will receive letters this weekend informing them that by the end of the year their 140-litre blue recycling bin will be swapped for a 240-litre bin.

And their 20-year-old large black refuse bin will be replaced by a smaller 180-litre bin. Accompanying this will be The Blue Book, a definitive guide on what can and cannot be recycled.

A government grant of more than £1million aimed at helping councils with a weekly refuse collection means this will be retained along with the two-weekly kerbside recycling collection.

“Recycling costs the council tax payer more than £100 less per tonne,” said Shaun Robson, pictured, head of environmental and consumer protection, Borough of Poole. “That’s between putting things in the black bin and into the blue bin.”

He added; “Part of this message is an environment sustainability message, there’s also a financial message of getting good value for council tax payers. We all know how much pressure our range of services are under.”

With recycling rates remaining steady at around 40 per cent of the town’s waste, they are hoping to increase that figure.

Cllr Xena Dion, cabinet portfolio holder for a prosperous and sustainable Poole said: “There are always exceptions such as people with large families or who have got medical needs and produce additional healthcare waste.”

She said: “We will look at each case individually. Where there are people with additional needs we will consider them.”

Residents will not have to take any action, bins will be swapped on normal collection days, however if a household wishes to retain their small blue bin they should call 01202 261700 by May 23.