A SECOND home composting campaign is being launched this week following the runaway success of the scheme last year .

The double aim is to persuade residents to turn their kitchen and garden scraps into healthy compost for a blooming garden and to reduce the amount of rubbish sent to landfill.

Over 6,200 residents now use the scheme's subsidised compost bins and it is hoped thousands more will take up the offer.

Compost at Home is part of the national recycling awareness campaign 'RecycleNow', launched by the Waste and Resources Action Programme.

Dr Gail Schofield of the Council Green Team, said: "Residents really embraced our 2004 composting drive and we're confident that this year's campaign will be just as successful, if not more so. Home composting makes such a big difference to the amount of waste that we sends to landfill - not to mention all the beautiful gardens springing up all over the borough!

"We want to make it as easy as possible for our residents to home compost, which is why we've teamed up with WRAP to offer composting bins starting at the special price of £5, delivered direct to people's doors. Anyone eager to start home composting straight away should call 0845 077 0757 to order their bin."

A home composting advisor will be working closely with the council and residents can call 0845 600 0323 for advice and information on home composting, or visit www.recyclenow.com/compost.