Highland Council has announced there will be an expansion to their garden waste collection service.
The service will now be available to residents in Bunchrew, Drumnadrochit, Inchmore and Tornagrain.
People living in newly-built properties in Ardersier, Croy and Stratton will also be given the offer of having their garden waste collected.
Letters have been sent to householders within the new collection areas offering them the opportunity to participate in the garden waste collection service that starts from September 1.
The expansion of the service has been helped by the council being successful in their bid to secure funding from the Scottish Government’s Recycling Improvement Fund.
The government has established the fund to help support the increase of quality and quantity of recycling across Scotland for the benefit of the environment.
Highland Council’s executive chief officer for communities and place, Allan Gunn, said: “We are delighted the council has secured funding from the Recycling Improvement Fund to purchase an additional refuse collection vehicle and brown wheeled bins.
“Inverness and Nairn are projected to have the highest increases in new housing developments over the next 10 years and we will now be in a position to offer the service to householders in new and existing developments”
He added: “I would encourage householders in these areas to take advantage of the opportunity to have their garden waste collected at the kerbside”
“This is a convenient and easy to use service and by recycling their garden waste householders are helping to reduce carbon and greenhouse emissions associated with landfilling this material.”
The brown wheeled bins will be collected on a fortnightly basis. Grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, twigs, small branches, flowers, plants, weeds and leaves are all materials that are collected by the service.
Householders that choose to participate will be able to order a free brown wheeled bin for each permit purchased.
The brown bins will be delivered to homes free of charge before the start of the service.
The service is optional with residents also able to take their garden waste along to their local Household Waste Recycling Centre free of charge. Highland Council continues to look to increase the availability of this service across the area.
Permits for having garden waste collected for the 2022/23 permit season will cost £47.75 and can be purchased by applying online at www.highland.gov.uk/gardenwaste
Alternatively, the Council’s Service Centre can be contacted on 01349 886660 with the line being open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm.
More information can be found at www.highland.gov.uk/gardenwaste, by e-mailing recycle@highland.gov.uk or calling 01349 886660.
