TWICE as many residents in west Oxfordshire will be able to get garden waste collected for recycling when the district council expands its scheme.

The fortnightly green waste scheme, launched in 2006, is running at full capacity, with 4,000 households signed up, and several hundred more on a waiting list.

The council is now doubling capacity from May, to give 8,000 households the opportunity to join.

The charge is £51 per household.

As well as a fortnightly collection, this fee includes provision of a dedicated wheelie bin for garden waste.

All the material will be composted, to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill sites.

Since April last year, 1,477 tonnes of garden waste has been collected and composted, exceeding the previous year’s total of 1,408 tonnes.

Residents can sign up online at the council's website or by calling 01993 861020.

witney@oxfordmail.co.uk