Local authorities in Kent are having to re-use old wheelie bins due to a Europe-wide shortage.

The lack is being blamed on high demand in eastern European countries, especially Germany where a new law requires each household to have a separate bin for paper.

Swale Borough Council has around 100,000 wheelie bins in circulation, which are blue, green and brown.

A spokesman told KentOnline that all households with the capacity for a wheelie bin have one, but "the shortage has delayed the full implementation of our green waste service, which residents can additionally choose to receive".

The spokesman added: "We have suspended this scheme until we can guarantee a date for the delivery of the brown bins."

However, the authority's website does say the "the brown bin emptying service is unaffected and will continue as normal for existing customers".

"We are also advising residents of other, related services that are provided – for example, composting bins, are available at a small charge from Kent County Council," said the spokesman.

In Shepway, there are around 38,000 bins used for landfill waste in circulation, more than a thousand bulk bins for flats and a further 12,000 garden bins. The district council told KentOnline that it has around 450 residents on its books who are awaiting new green lidded bins.

A spokesman said: "We are having to deliver second-hand temporary landfill bins whilst we wait for a delivery. These are old brown lidded garden bins which we collected from residents who did not wish to take up our new chargeable scheme."

The authority is expecting a bin delivery next month and has assured us that the delay is not having any impact on their waste strategies.

Fortunately, both authorities have not seen an increase in rats or fly tipping - they say that is largely down to most households already having bins for household waste.