Over £145,000 of central government funding has been awarded to Blaby District Council to start a recycling reward scheme.

Bin It to Win It is a three-year campaign that will encourage residents not to put general waste material in the Council’s recycling bins, in order to improve the current contamination rate.

The campaign will also encourage residents to recycle more of their waste.

The campaign will begin in September with residents whose recycling bins are presented every collection day and contamination free throughout a four-week period entered into a prize draw to win a prize to the value of £30.

There will be ten winners of £30 every four weeks.

Prizes can be put towards a council tax rebate, garden bin, a months membership to The Pavilion Gym in Huncote, or a voucher which will be redeemable at many shops within the district.

Additionally, the two best performing Parish Councils will also be awarded £50 each every four weeks, which is redeemable against services purchased from the District Council.

Blaby District currently has a contamination rate of 7.00% but are looking to reduce this.

The council has been granted £145,182.50 from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) from a fund for Councils to set up recycling reward schemes.

Guy Jackson, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood and Environmental Services, said:

“We are delighted to have been awarded this funding as it gives us a long-term scheme to try and change residents’ habits.

“Recycling is extremely important for us and we support this with weekly collections.

“Not only will this help to reduce our contamination rate and increase recycling, but we hope it will leave a lasting impression on residents to use our recycling bins responsibly long after the campaign has ended.”

Bin hangers will be used to promote and remind people of the campaign closer to the launch.

For more information, details of the Bin It to Win It campaign can be found at www.blaby.gov.uk.