A new campaign is encouraging resident to 'slim their bins' in efforts to save money for themselves and the council.

The Recycle for Dorset kerbside collection service has been in place six years and is working well.

Dorset residents are among the country’s top recyclers, raising the recycling rate to almost 60 per cent.

But now that most people have become experts at putting the right stuff in the right bin, the Dorset Waste Partnership (DWP) wants to go one step further and think about the amount of stuff they throw away and prevent that stuff ever being thrown away in the first place.

It’s a common misconception that recycled material generates revenue for your local council. Recycling is significantly cheaper than household rubbish to deal with, the latter of which can cost up to £130 per tonne to treat or send to landfill. 

But recycling still costs money to process – council tax money that would be better spent on other essential services.

So the 'Slim Your Bins' campaign has been launched by the DWP to get residents to start reducing how much they throw away in terms of rubbish, recycling and food.

The campaign will include roadshows across the county, starting in Bridport today (Thursday, September 21) and continuing in Wimborne on Tuesday, September 26, with future dates and locations to be announced.

Councillor Tony Alford, chairman of the Dorset Waste Partnership’s joint committee, said: “We’re incredibly proud of Dorset’s residents and their continued recycling efforts. Thanks to you, we are recycling more than ever and even less rubbish is being treated or sent to landfill, which costs Dorset’s taxpayers over £8million every year.

"But we know we can do even better. The bottom line is that the less waste we receive – both rubbish and recycling – the better. This will help cut your shopping bill down, as well as save money for your local council which can be spent on other essential services.

"We’re hoping this exciting campaign will help people make changes to the way they buy and throw items away, which will also help protect our beautiful environment.”

You can find out more about the “Slim Your Bins” campaign and how to reduce your waste by visiting dorsetforyou.gov.uk/slim-your-bins