The biggest change to Swindon's waste collections for 15 years has now begun.

All residents now have two additional bins to use -  a food waste bin and a blue weighted sack for plastic and metal. 

New bin collection days should have been posted out to all households with a new bi-weekly cycle of waste collection and food one week, and recycling and food the following week.

Advertiser reporter Aled Thomas has spoken to the council cabinet member responsible for waste, Chris Watts, and they have compiled a helpful guide for what to do with your rubbish. 

Read More: Swindon bin collections: Your guide to new collections from Monday.

The council has also unveiled a new waste collection tool to help which it has called the 'Waste Wizard'. 

A council spokesperson said: "If you’re ever unsure if something can be recycled, or which container an item should be placed in, you can search it in our new look-up tool – Waste Wizard.

"Just search the item and abracadabra – it tells you where to place it."

Swindon Advertiser: You can find the 'Waste Wizard' tool on the Swindon Council website via the following link - https://www.swindon.gov.uk/info/20015/bins_rubbish_and_recycling/138/recycling_guide/6.

By now everyone should have received their new bins, but if anyone is yet to receive the two food waste caddies (a smaller one for the kitchen, and the bigger one for collections) and the blue weighted sack they can report a missed delivery.

To report a missed delivery visit here:  https://www.swindon.gov.uk/info/20015/bins_rubbish_and_recycling/1377/report_a_missed_container_delivery.

People who need more food waste caddies or blue weighted sacks than the council has provided are able to get more. 

A second bag per household is available to collect from the council's core libraries during opening hours. This includes Central Library, Highworth Library, North Swindon Library, Park Library and West Swindon Parish Council Office.

You can also order another outdoor food caddie via the council website here - https://www.swindon.gov.uk/info/20015/bins_rubbish_and_recycling/171/order_a_wheelie_bin_or_recycling_box.

And if anyone hasn't got their new collection dates, or has forgotten them, they can look them up via the council website here - https://www.swindon.gov.uk/info/20122/rubbish_and_recycling_collection_days .

The new food waste collections could net the council between £120,000 and £144,000 per year as it is paid between £15-£18 a tonne and it will also remove many tonnes of waste from landfill, where the council pays a tax of up to £102 per tonne.

The food waste caddies and weighted bags have cost the council £600,000 and the authority has spent a further £7m on new recycling lorries to replace its ageing fleet.

The names for these lorries were unveiled recently with Charlie Aust-bin, Melinda Mess-Collector and Binnie Piper all being chose.