Burnley Council is organising a collection of any unwanted blue recycling boxes from homes across the borough. Residents can book a free collection by visiting https://your.burnley.gov.uk/service/Return_Recycling_Blue_Box- you will be asked to go on but it is not a requirement. You can also book by calling 01282 425011 and asking for streetscene.

Collections must be booked by 5pm Thursday 6th February; the boxes will be picked up from 6.30am on Monday 10th February. The service covers the whole borough and not just those homes that switched to a new wheelie bin recycling service in the autumn.

Councillor Cosima Towneley, the council’s executive member for community and environment services, said: “Over the years people have collected blue recycling boxes for various reasons and we’re happy if they want to keep them to use for collecting recyclable rubbish or anything else they might get used for. “However, when we launched the new wheelie bin system for around half the homes in the borough a lot of people asked what they should do with their blue boxes.

We wanted the new system to bed in before we went around to collect any unwanted boxes. “I’m sure some people have found imaginative ways of re-using them but if you don’t need them this is a chance to get rid of them. We will recycle the recycling boxes and keep them in store for those residents who are still on the box system and may need extra ones in the future.”

Residents still on the blue box and white sack system need to keep enough boxes to be able to collect their recyclable rubbish in, but can use this collection to get rid of any unused extra boxes they no longer need.