THOUSANDS more chipped wheelie bins are set to be rolled out across Bournemouth with the launch of a new green waste service.

Plans to introduce garden waste bins will go before cabinet on October 10, with councillors expected to approve a scheme for a maximum of 22,000 households.

The council has 9,000 spare "little bins" from the launch of its enhanced recycling scheme last year and it is planned that these will be allocated first to all those on the existing garden waste customer base.

The bins all contain passive chips but Cllr Nick King, cabinet member for communication, said: "We can assure people that we have no plans to use these chips unless we are absolutely forced to."

He said removing the chips would prove expensive and added: "As these are recycling bins for garden waste, we would hope the chips will never be used.

"There have been no indications from the government that recycling bins would need to be weighed."

Initial costs for the scheme are predicted to be in the region of £300,000 including all bin financing, disposal costs, staffing, publicity and contingencies.

At the cabinet meeting, councillors will be given an option to charge residents for the service but recommended to offer it for free.

If given the go-ahead, the scheme will come into effect in April 2008 and run fortnightly until October each year.

Roger Ball, head of technical services, said: "Green garden waste makes up almost a quarter of all waste in Bournemouth and the council is keen to divert that material away from landfill.

"Recent consultation has told us that bins would be preferred by many to the existing bag scheme and as the council is constantly striving to improve the service it provides to households in the town, we believe these proposals are an affordable and practical enhancement of the existing service.

"The scheme is an opt-in service - not compulsory - and for any resident who doesn't wish to have a bin they can still dispose of their garden waste at Millhams household recycling centre all year round," he added.