GARDENERS in Southampton can take advantage of a discount on compost bins and food digesters.

The city council says the offer, which is designed to increase residents’ recycling rates, will save residents up to £68 on the price of food digesters and more than £6 on composters.

As revealed in the Daily Echo earlier this year, the council has controversially introduced charges of up to £55 for green waste bins.

The first 1,000 compost bins and 300 digesters are available as part of the discount on a firstcome first-served basis.

Composters are available for £15.49 and digesters £40 as part of the offer.

Jon Dyer-Slade, head of city services for the council, said: “We are committed to reducing our city’s carbon footprint and the amount of waste that goes to landfill. Home composting is a very green way to deal with your garden and kitchen waste. “Every food digester takes around 130kg of waste out of the household bin each year.”