As part of International Compost Awareness Week, from 6 to 12 May, North Yorkshire County Council and the City of York Council are encouraging residents to start composting with a fantastic offer in partnership with getcomposting.com.

Residents can buy discounted compost bins online from £8 plus £5.99 delivery for a 220- litre home compost bin and when ordering online they can take advantage of a “buy one get one half price” offer.

As well as taking online and phone orders, on Friday, 11 May, the authorities will launch home compost bin sales from selected household waste recycling centres. These are: Wetherby Road, Harrogate; Malton; Northallerton; Seamer Carr; Selby; Skipton; Whitby; and Hazel Court, York.

York and North Yorkshire residents will be able to buy a 330-litre home compost bin for £10. Bins are limited to two per household and residents must take proof of their address. Visit  www.york.gov.uk/hazelcourthwrc for opening hours.

The national Waste Resources Action Programme estimates that use of a home compost bin diverts about 150kg of waste per household from waste bins each year. It is simple to do and much daily household waste can be recycled. It’s also a cheaper alternative to chargeable garden waste collections and has the benefit of producing free top-quality compost for use as a soil improver, mulch or plant feed.

To order online, visit www.getcomposting.com or call 0844 571 4444, quoting reference YNY08L. As well as compost bins, food waste digesters and hot composters are available for food waste.

City of York Councillor Andrew Waller, deputy leader and executive member for the environment, said: “Composting is an easy, effective way to reduce the waste going to landfill and at the same time help your garden.

“This scheme is another great incentive in our drive to support our residents to reduce, reuse and recycle even more of York’s waste.”