People across Bedfordshire have been urged to do their bit for the environment by composting rubbish instead of sending it into landfill.

This week is International Compost Awareness Week, and on Friday recycling experts will be in Dunstable in a bid to get more householders on board.

Beds County Council has said that at the moment around 15 per cent of the waste produced in its patch is composted.

Councillor Tom Wootton, who is responsible for waste, said: "Home composting is still one of the best ways to help the environment on a daily basis and provides a free, nutrient-rich fertilizer for your garden.

"It is something that can be quickly incorporated into your regular kitchen and garden routines.

"People can put additional things into a home compost bin which they can't put into the kerbside collection such as scrunched up cardboard, teabags, egg shells, fruit, vegetable peelings and coffee granules - even shredded paper."

Recycling officers will be at Dunstable's waste recycling centre in Frenchs Avenue to hand out more information about composting.

Throughout the week bags of Bedfordshire compost, made from garden waste collected in the county over the past year, have been given away.

Find out more about the week