Remember how recycling started in Bolton with the green boxes? Councillor Julia Silvester pictured with one of the old boxes. The scheme has now expanded massively in line with Government targets.

A massive overhaul of the waste collection service will affect every home in Bolton from this month.

Now Westhoughton’s household waste bins will all be collected on the same day – Mondays. Residents are to be informed by letter and leaflets will be stuck to bins informing people of the decision which comes into effect from 21 September.

The borough has been split into 5 zones, each of which will have their waste collected on a separate day Monday to Friday. Bolton Council decided that all 35 of their waste collection vehicles will operate in the same zone as each other in a bid to be more cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

The green bin collection service has also been cut back by the Labour-run council.

The Labour Executive Member on Bolton Council for Cleaner, Greener and Safer has decided to reduce the Green Bin collection for a third of the year, instead of fortnightly collections in December, January, February and March, there will a monthly collection instead. This is to save nearly £82,000.

Bolton Council is now hoping that the 1646 tonnes which was collected in these four months in 08/09 will in future fit into the monthly green bin collections.

Cllr David Wilkinson has asked the council to investigate the idea of a scheme of cheap compost bins for residents to produce their own compost if the council is reducing the Green Bin collection.