BROWN BINS will be collected only every four weeks across the winter from mid-November.

The seasonal change for food and compost waste will start from the week beginning November 18.

Two-weekly collections will resume during the week starting March 9, 2020.

Fife Council say that having less garden waste in brown bins over the winter means lorries are not full, and the council has the opportunity to reduce operating costs and maximise the use of resources, while reducing its environmental impact.

Surveys show that there is less demand for this service from Fifers over the winter months and research indicates that less than 7 per cent of Fife residents place their brown bin out every two weeks during the winter.

Residents can visit www.fife.gov.uk/bincalendar to check their collection days.

The brown bin is the only waste that is changing in collection frequency.

Cllr Ross Vettraino, Fife Council’s Convener, Environment and Protective Services Committee, said: “Because there is very little garden waste during the winter, the council is reducing the number of compost/food waste collections over the winter period so that resources, if required, can be redirected to support other waste collection services, which are sometimes stretched due to adverse weather conditions.

"It also means that the council’s recycling points will be serviced more often, particularly during the busy festive season.

"There isn’t a problem storing food waste over a longer period over cooler months. As always, the bin lid should be kept closed.

"Unlike some other local councils, Fife Council continues to offer this service over the winter months."

Food waste bags are available across Fife – to find your closest collection point visit https://www.fife.gov.uk/foodwaste Vehicles that are not being utilised on compost routes will be able to assist in servicing recycling points over the particularly busy festive period. There are there are other ways of reducing or dealing with garden/food waste such as meal planning and reusing left overs can save money as well.

Saving food saves money and helps to slow down global warming and deforestation.

Consider a home compost bin as an alternative for garden/ green waste, which is the best way to treat garden waste in an environmentally friendly way.

You can take additional garden waste, soil or rubble to most Fife recycling centres. Please visit https://www.fife.gov.uk/recyclingsites