More than 1,500 people have already signed up for Thanet Council’s new garden waste collection service, which began operations last week.

The new scheme sees garden waste collected every two weeks from a green lidded 240 litre wheeled bin, which can hold the equivalent of five refuse sacks. The bins are emptied throughout the year, except for the period between mid December and mid January.

Garden weeds, grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, flowers, plants, leaves, small twigs and branches of less than an inch in diameter can go into the bin. Garden waste must be put into the bins loose. Soil, stones, rubbles, plant pots, food waste, plastic bags and large logs or branches will not be accepted, says the council.

Everyone on the scheme must put their waste out for collection from 6am on the day of collection at the front of their property.

Cllr Shirley Tomlinson, Cabinet Member for Commercial and Environmental Services, said: “Our new garden waste collection scheme has got off to a very promising start, with more than 1,500 people already deciding to join.

“That’s better than we expected and shows this was the right way to take the service, with only those who want their garden waste collected having to pay for it, rather than everyone paying for it through their council tax. We’ve even had some people requesting three or four bins, which is a measure of how much garden waste they intend to recycle over the year.”

To join the scheme, people hire the bin for a once off charge of £25. The annual cost of collections until the end of March 2009 is £30. People can join by calling 01843 577115 or by visiting www.thanet.gov.uk and paying with a credit or debit card.