TENS of thousands of Bournemouth households will do their bit for the environment this year as the council's garden waste collections begin on April 13.

More than 32,000 properties have joined the scheme, with collections run fortnightly from April to November.

Residents are asked to make sure that their bins are out on the pavement by 5am on the day of collection, and waste will be picked up throughout the day until 9pm.

Calendars detailing collection dates together with information about what can go in the garden waste bin have been sent to registered households. Garden waste bins will be delivered before the collections begin.

Georgina Fry, waste and resources manager, said: “We are very proud of the success and popularity of our garden waste scheme which is provided at no extra cost to the residents.

"Gardeners have embraced this service wholeheartedly and are helping to increase recycling in Bournemouth."

The garden waste collected will be recycled into compost and woodchip by Bournemouth’s waste partners Eco Sustainable Solutions.

Around 4,735 tonnes of garden waste was composted in 2014.

For more information visit greenwaste@bournemouth.gov.uk, or telephone Customer Services on 01202 451199.