GREEN homeowners can benefit from and see the green results of their recycling efforts - by taking away free compost.

The Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire is rewarding residents for using their food and garden waste collection service, by giving away free soil improver, produced at the High Heavens composter.

David Carroll, lead spokesman for waste, said: "Residents using the food and garden waste collection service have helped Bucking- hamshire to divert 54,000 tonnes of biodegradable waste from landfill. To thank them for their commitment to recycling we would like to encourage them to come along to the compost takeaway event and benefit from the free soil improver they have helped us to produce."

Nearly a third of all households in Bucks get food and garden waste collections. About 20,000 tonnes of the soil improver is produced yearly.

Residents are being encouraged to attend the compost takeaway event on August 31 to collect it to help improve the quality of their soil and garden.

It takes place at High Heavens Compost facility, Clay Lane, Booker, between 10am and 6pm. Residents are asked to wear sensible shoes, bring their own bags, gloves and a spade.

Residents can also take the opportunity to book a place on an open day, where they will be given a guided tour around the composting unit and be shown how their food and garden waste is transformed into soil improver.

It will also give visitors a chance to raise any concerns or queries they may have about the composting process or facility.

The tours will also take place on August 31 at 10am, 11am, noon, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm. Each will last approximately 45 minutes. To book your free place please call 01494 475430. Bookings are on a first come first served basis.

Councils are coming under increasing pressure to reduce the amount of biodegrad- able waste reaching landfill sites. As landfill tax is set to increase, Bucks councils face fines of up to £150 per tonne of biodegradable rubbish that is sent to landfill.