Here's what to do if you'll struggle to move your four new wheelie bins when Milton Keynes' new refuse scheme begins in September

Help has been offered to hundreds of residents who may struggle to shift their four heavy wheelie bins out onto the pavement when the new refuse collection scheme starts.

MO City Council is offering an assisted collection scheme to people who are disabled or elderly and do not have family of friends to help them.

The service is free and means rubbish gets picked up from the person’s doorstep instead of the nearest kerbside.

Around 2,750 MK residents with mobility issues currently benefit from assisted collections. But then the new four-bins-per-household scheme starts on September 4, it’s anticipated that more people could struggle.

Households will use a new black wheelie bin for non-recyclable waste and two new bins for recyclables - one with a red lid for paper and card and one with a blue lid for plastic, metal and glass. All these will be large180 litre bins and they will be additional to the current green wheelie for food and garden waste.

The use of bins will up recycling rates, prevent rubbish bags being ripped apart by animals. But for some it has caused problems of where to store them and how to move them to the kerb each week.

Details of how to apply for a free assisted collection were sent to all MK homes earlier this year before the wheelie bin delivery scheme began.

Today (Monday), Cllr Lauren Townsend, the city’s Cabinet member for Waste and Environment, said: “I’m reminding residents that this free service is available to them, as I’ve heard a few comments from people with mobility-related disabilities and conditions who would prefer wheelie bins but who were concerned they wouldn’t be able to move them to the kerb, and who didn’t have neighbours or family to help.“If you’re in this position, our collection crews will take the bins to the truck and back to the door for you, so please do get in touch. By modernising how we collect waste and recycling, our new waste supplier from September will have more time to make sure bins are returned properly to their starting position, whether that’s the kerbside or doorstep.”

You can apply online here or email [email protected] or telephone 01908 252570.